How do explain prayer to your children?

[tryingtobeagain]

Hi everyone,
My daughter is 3.5 and we talk about God alot. We read her children's bible and she loves church. We pray together daily and the prayers we say are rhyming children's prayers at night and before we eat (my daughter can memorize anything so we say the same prayer and it also helps her to have a consistent and exact routine - she's extreamly rigid and needs routine).
So the other night in the bath we were listening to some gospel music and singing and she started asking what the woman was talking about. So we started talking about prayer and I was a little unsure of how to explain it to her so that her young mind can understand and appreciate it. I told her that the woman was saying that whenever she has a problem she talks to God about it. So my daughter said "I have a problem" and I told her she can talk to God if she wants to. She looked up at the ceiling and said "God, I need more love". So I gave her a hug. She decided that God "made" me hug her. I'm just wondering how other people explain prayer to their children and how they practice it. I'm really trying to raise my daughter to know God and I just want to make sure I'm explaining it right.

Thanks for any imput.

 

[Robinsegg]

I like that explanation. We tell our kids that prayer is talking to God. They can talk to God about anything they want, even if it seems silly to us.

Good job, mom!
Rachel

 

[GolfingMom]

I like that explanation. We tell our kids that prayer is talking to God. They can talk to God about anything they want, even if it seems silly to us.

Good job, mom!
Rachel

That's what we say too. Our kiddo's say their own prayer daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner and at night. Their prayers are different and from the heart. Some are really funny to listen to and other's are 'touching' to hear. We also tell them to thank God and not just 'ask' for things in prayer...

 

[andiesmama]

I've told our daughter the same thing (she's nearly 5).....prayer is just like talking to God and you can talk to Him about anything, any time, any where.

One time, we were riding in the car, it was rainy and kind of sunny outside......she was talking about how we might see a rainbow. Then I heard her say something like "Dear God, thanks for the rain but I wish you would let me see a rainbow!"

Not 10 minutes later down the road.....you guessed it....a rainbow appeared!!

She was floored!!

 

[becky81101]

same here. we tell him that prayer is just talking to God because He's our best friend. sometimes, he will say random 'thanks' to God. he used to get confused because he can't see God. but somewhere along the line, he just started doing it. i am very open about praying out loud, even when i'm just washing the dishes, so maybe that has helped.

 

[micbmac]

I think this is a vry imp subject. Prayer helps establish a loving relationship w/God. The first thing I ever taught my kids was to say the blessing before ea meal. And they just say a simple "God is Great..." You know the one. Every morning before we start school we all say the Lord's prayer (I made them memorize it but I doubt a 3 yr old could). Then after the Lord's prayer we go around the room and thank God for something and ask for forgiveness for our sins. I taught my children that when they pray to always thank God first, and then they can ask for something. I love listening to their prayers because they are so sincere. It's cute. Brings a smile to my face everytime. I also told them that when they say their "goodnight" prayers to listen and see if God "says" anything to help them.

 

[sparassidae]

I think the important thing (and you seem to have got it right) is just to make it a natural part of life. Talking to God is just like talking to anyone else, it doesn't have to be solemn or say certain things, just be natural about it and they will pick up on that.

We thank God for so much that our children started that long before they started asking him for anything.

Also, on mothers day at church we had some different stuff like the children presenting the memory verse they had learned etc. Our family was asked to lead the prayers (6 month old was excused ). That was a great time for the children to think about things to pray for that were applicable to our whole church, not just our family.

3 yo (I wrote her prayer) said "Dear God, thank you for all the mummies"

5yo "Dear God, thank you for the rain so far. Please make it rain some more." We have been in drought for her whole life, so this is a big deal.

7yo "Dear God, thank you for our schools. Please help everyone to believe in Jesus so that everyone can follow your will" My little evangelist

I was soooooo proud of our children! The only hiccup was 3yo refusing to relinquish the microphone

Just had to share this.

 

[MomBlessedBy2]

I think the important thing (and you seem to have got it right) is just to make it a natural part of life. Talking to God is just like talking to anyone else, it doesn't have to be solemn or say certain things, just be natural about it and they will pick up on that.

We thank God for so much that our children started that long before they started asking him for anything.

Also, on mothers day at church we had some different stuff like the children presenting the memory verse they had learned etc. Our family was asked to lead the prayers (6 month old was excused ). That was a great time for the children to think about things to pray for that were applicable to our whole church, not just our family.

3 yo (I wrote her prayer) said "Dear God, thank you for all the mummies"

5yo "Dear God, thank you for the rain so far. Please make it rain some more." We have been in drought for her whole life, so this is a big deal.

7yo "Dear God, thank you for our schools. Please help everyone to believe in Jesus so that everyone can follow your will" My little evangelist

I was soooooo proud of our children! The only hiccup was 3yo refusing to relinquish the microphone

Just had to share this.

I love it.

I agree, we have to make it an important part of our lives. When we start them young, it just seems to become a natural part of their lives. When my daughter had just turned 3, she had a bad case of bronchitis and was coughing like crazy. I was patting her back one day when she went into a coughing fit. She caught her breath and was able to get out, "Mommy, let's pray." That was the first time she ever actually asked for prayers. You better believe I hit my knees right then.

She's 7 now and I also try to emphasize thanking God for things, not just asking. When she prays before bedtime, before homeschooling, before meals, etc., she always starts out with, "Thank you God...." and thanks Him for things. I've been surprised by the things she sees as a blessing from God.

Lynn