The below is an excerpt from Adventures of an Orthodox Mom on teaching children to pray:
...In order for our children to become pious Orthodox Christians, it is our responsibility to teach them to pray. Here are things that have been helping me with this task and I hope you’ll be encouraged as well.
• Be Consistent. Create a schedule. This doesn’t mean at 8:00 a.m. on the dot we need to wake them if they’re still sleeping. It simply means that as soon as they awaken, change their clothes and wash up, we need to say our morning prayers and then sit down for breakfast. If possible, choose a time when the whole family can pray together.
• Lead by Example. Children do as they see, which means they need to see us praying. Not just reading the services but sincerely praying to God from our hearts. Let them see you giving thanks to God and praying for others. Let them see and hear you praying in times of fear or trouble. What a blessing it is to have our children turn to God first in the midst of trouble!
• Make them feel involved. During prayer times let them hold a candle or an icon. If they’re old enough to cense the icons, let them. Explain to them at what point they should make the sign of the cross or a prostration; allow them to sing the alleluia’s or Lord have mercy’s. Another simple, yet powerful thing to do is teach them the Jesus Prayer; even the smallest of children can utter the sweet name of Jesus!
• Send them off with prayer. Before they leave for school or in the car if you drive them, say a prayer with them asking Christ, the Panagia, their Guardian Angel and/or patron saint to guide and protect them. Pray for their teacher and classmates. Give them the opportunity to pray for their activities of the day, any special tests or other concerns they may have. This will make them comfortable and get them into the habit of including God in all aspects of their life as well as learning to pray, and ultimately love, all the people around them. Read the Akathist to the Theotokos, Nurturer of Children. This service takes 15 minutes and contains the most powerful prayers I have ever read for a mother and child.
• Make a prayer box or journal. If your children are older and able to write well, you can start a prayer journal. I have always kept a journal for each of my boys with all of their firsts and other memorable moments. Ace loves to snuggle up and read from “his book”. I started to notice that in many of my entries I was praying for things and he noticed as well because he began to ask, “Did Christouli do what you asked for?” It created the perfect situation for me to explain to him how God answers all of our prayers, though sometimes differently than we expected, but always to the benefit of our souls. A prayer journal is also a nice way to list the people or situations you need to pray for. For smaller children, I’ve found keeping a little “prayer box” works just as well. I include photos of people if I have one or just their name. I like to include visuals if possible, for example, a tiny, plastic green soldier for our armed forces or a tiny plastic baby for a child who might be ill.
And so I begin my journey to try and instruct my beloved children, not through force or egotism but through love and example. As I continue, I hope to gain a clearer understanding of the importance of my job as an Orthodox mother.
Though I have a very, very long way to go, I am already beginning to see the fruits, not of my labor but of my attempt to follow the wise instruction of our holy saints and elders, who have left us with the answers on exactly how to raise true Orthodox Christians...
• Be Consistent. Create a schedule. This doesn’t mean at 8:00 a.m. on the dot we need to wake them if they’re still sleeping. It simply means that as soon as they awaken, change their clothes and wash up, we need to say our morning prayers and then sit down for breakfast. If possible, choose a time when the whole family can pray together.
• Lead by Example. Children do as they see, which means they need to see us praying. Not just reading the services but sincerely praying to God from our hearts. Let them see you giving thanks to God and praying for others. Let them see and hear you praying in times of fear or trouble. What a blessing it is to have our children turn to God first in the midst of trouble!• Make them feel involved. During prayer times let them hold a candle or an icon. If they’re old enough to cense the icons, let them. Explain to them at what point they should make the sign of the cross or a prostration; allow them to sing the alleluia’s or Lord have mercy’s. Another simple, yet powerful thing to do is teach them the Jesus Prayer; even the smallest of children can utter the sweet name of Jesus!
• Send them off with prayer. Before they leave for school or in the car if you drive them, say a prayer with them asking Christ, the Panagia, their Guardian Angel and/or patron saint to guide and protect them. Pray for their teacher and classmates. Give them the opportunity to pray for their activities of the day, any special tests or other concerns they may have. This will make them comfortable and get them into the habit of including God in all aspects of their life as well as learning to pray, and ultimately love, all the people around them. Read the Akathist to the Theotokos, Nurturer of Children. This service takes 15 minutes and contains the most powerful prayers I have ever read for a mother and child.
• Make a prayer box or journal. If your children are older and able to write well, you can start a prayer journal. I have always kept a journal for each of my boys with all of their firsts and other memorable moments. Ace loves to snuggle up and read from “his book”. I started to notice that in many of my entries I was praying for things and he noticed as well because he began to ask, “Did Christouli do what you asked for?” It created the perfect situation for me to explain to him how God answers all of our prayers, though sometimes differently than we expected, but always to the benefit of our souls. A prayer journal is also a nice way to list the people or situations you need to pray for. For smaller children, I’ve found keeping a little “prayer box” works just as well. I include photos of people if I have one or just their name. I like to include visuals if possible, for example, a tiny, plastic green soldier for our armed forces or a tiny plastic baby for a child who might be ill.And so I begin my journey to try and instruct my beloved children, not through force or egotism but through love and example. As I continue, I hope to gain a clearer understanding of the importance of my job as an Orthodox mother.
Though I have a very, very long way to go, I am already beginning to see the fruits, not of my labor but of my attempt to follow the wise instruction of our holy saints and elders, who have left us with the answers on exactly how to raise true Orthodox Christians...
Complete article here.
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As a mother of three i know the power of prayer. the prayer life of my children that is. Teaching them from infancy to love and worship creates a stamina and endurance that is unsurpassed in increasing their faith. Take them to church pray with zeal in front and with them and let them know that relativism is not from God. There is a morality which is objective and true.
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