Note: These pages are a list of topics that parents have asked for help navigating. These are not necessarily meant to be conversations that you should have with your kid/teen, but more helpful as you navigate parenting in general. These are designed to start the conversation, not answer ever issue that might surround it. Do more research! Follow up these ideas with a conversation with another trusted parent. Our goal is to start the conversation and help point you in the right direction. The goal is not to give you all the answer!
How to pray with your kids
Just do it. Easier said then done? YUP! But there’s no other way. The earlier you normalize prayer in your family the more natural this will be. How important this is to you will determine how important it is to them growing up. Here are some steps to grow your kids prayer life…
Pray with them
Meals and bedtime are great, but the gold is in the mundane moments of the day. If you see something driving to school, pray about it. If you find out that a classmate or friend is sick, pray for them right then, don’t wait till bedtime. The goal early on is to make prayer a priority, not the routine. Praying at random times will help young kids understand it’s importance.
Teach them to pray
The best teacher is experience. Encourage them to pray before/after you. Let them flex their prayer muscles. Help them know the kind of things we pray about. Teach them to talk to God. Teach them to balance their wants/needs with thankfulness for God’s good gifts. Teach them why we end prayers with “in Jesus name we pray.” Let them do it!
Encourage them to pray without you
Again, the next step in their growth would be to do it on their own! They’ve seen you pray; they’ve prayed with you. Turn them loose. When they come to you with a problem, ask “Have you talked to Jesus about it yet?”. Consider buying them a prayer journal or encourage them to go on prayer walks (age dependent for safety reasons).
Praying with your teenagers
It gets a little different as they get older. Your 7-year-old used to love to pray with you, but your 14-year-old might roll their eyes about praying before bed. That doesn’t mean you failed. It just means that praying with them looks different than it used to as they grow up. Don’t give up on praying with them, but you might have to be more creative. Idea: Create a family prayer list white board. Each week family members post prayer requests. The rest of the family write a short prayer around it on the board as they pass by. Idea: Text prayers to your students on big days, or even “just because”. Idea: Take advantage of the moments of distress in their lives to ask, “Can I pray for you right now?”
At this age encouraging them to have prayer time on their own is important. Prayer journals, prayer walks, prayer places, etc. Help them establish these as normal things in their lives.
How to pray FOR your kids
Never stop. Sneak in their room while they sleep. Turn off the radio/Spotify and pray for them in the car. Sit in the school parking lot (Don’t be creepy) and pray for them. Never stop praying. Pray for the things that matter the most. Pray for their heart, not just their behavior. Pray for the influences in their lives, not just the games/tests. Pray for their faith in Jesus more than their future successes.