The Secret to Getting Your Kids to PRAY

Prayer is one of the greatest tools in the Christian’s spiritual arsenal. It has been called the cornerstone of a healthy spiritual life and as such, parents desire to teach their kids to pray at an early age. But good intentions can go bad once we set to the task of getting our kids to talk to God.

GULP!

Many children (and adults) respond to a request for prayer with fear, defiance, embarrassment, dread… or even silence. Prayer is a deeply personal activity, and sharing that activity with others (especially strangers or peers) can be frightening! But prayer was never meant to stay private, and the earlier your kids start to pray the easier it will be for them to learn to pray with others.

The Lord’s Prayer was given to us as the ideal model for prayer, but many of the phrases and words used by Jesus in Matthew 6:9-13 draw blank stares from kids.

Hallowed? Kingdom come? Temptation? Um… yeah.

Learning About Jesus as a Friend

Kids respond positively to the concept of Jesus as a best friend. This helps them share their darkest doubts, fears, and secrets with God. Bible stories, church activities, and discussions with parents can all reinforce this concept. (See Jesus is My Friend Today song below.)

Learning to Praise

One integral aspect of a healthy prayer life is praise. Teaching your children to praise God has several advantages.

• God desires and requires our praises. Teaching your children this can help them understand that they can give back to God  by making Him happy. It also reinforces the concept of the unconditional love that God has for your children.

• Praising God helps your child take the focus off herself. It is impossible to worry about  homework, friends at school, new clothes, pimples, or how unfair your parents and teachers are when you are truly focused on praising God.

• Praising God teaches your child to look at things from the viewpoint of another.

• It teaches your child the attributes of God.

• Praise forms a bond between God and your child that is not easily broken.

Once your child is comfortable with the concepts of Jesus as a friend and praising God, you can move on to the basics of prayer.

P-R-A-Y

One of the best memory aids in teaching your child the model for prayer set out in the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ is P-R-A-Y.

P = Praise Him. Praise God for who He is, for what He has made, for how great He is.

R = Recognize! Recognize that we need Him. That He is the one true God. That He meets our needs.

A = Ask Him! Ask God for forgiveness. Acknowledge that we sin. Tell Him we’re sorry.

Y = You and Me! Tell God about what’s going on in our own lives. Talk to Him about the personal stuff. Talk to Him about others. Ask for His help in the lives of those around us.

(from Inside North Point: Kids)

Lead by Example

The true secret to getting your kids to pray is to lead by example. Praying with your kids holds more weight than any memory trick, Bible sermon, or lecture.

If you pray with your kids, they will learn to speak fervent, heartfelt, God-pleasing prayers for the rest of their lives.

In fact, you can skip all the steps above and simply pray with your child on a regular basis and he will become a man of prayer.

The secret to getting your kids to pray, is to be a man or woman of prayer. Pray with your children every day and they will grow to be men and women rooted in prayer.

Inside North Point: Kids

Jesus is My Friend Today Song for Kids

Early Childhood Curriculum for Teaching Jesus is My Friend