How do you teach your children to say the blessing?

[RenewMyMind]

I've always just told my kids to speak from their heart when talking to God but they are young (3 and 5) and they always just say "Thank you God for our food, Amen." Or sometimes they will just start telling God about their day and keep going forever and I don't want to interrupt them talking to God. They've been asked to pray before meals at friends and relatives homes and it doesn't even sound like a blessing, but simply them talking to God about random things. So I'm just wondering if there are certain points I could remind them to touch on when saying the blessing before a meal.

 

[Ministrymama]

You might try to encourage a shorter prayer at meals by reminding them to thank God for His gifts of family, friends and food and then thank Him about 1 good thing that day. That will keep it brief yet personal and save longer prayers for morning devotions or bedtime prayers.
Or just relax and enjoy their prayers regardless of what they say, hey they are talking to their Father too and have every right to speak what they will. Believe me as they get older, in the teens you may have to pull teeth to get beyond brief, even rote prayers at meal times.

 

[RenewMyMind]

Thank you

 

[MessianicMommy]

I'd let them do what they've been doing considering you told them to speak from their hearts.

Y'shua said "let the children come to me..." I do not believe he meant that only if they behave, don't wiggle and don't behave like children.

My kids have been learning cute little prayers at kindergarten so I've let them do those instead of our standard blessings if that is what they want. This thanksgiving they did the prayer and it was about fish feeding. It was so cute and from their heart. That really is what matters.

 

[Inkachu]

Just remind them that a blessing before a meal should center around the meal (the food, the people present, etc). General prayers can be any other time

 

[ProudMomxmany]

I LOVED listening to my children say the blessing. Most of the time it was hard to keep a straight face. We had one that would give thanks for dinosaurs. Another one would ask God to keep her brothers out of her way, on and on...They eventually "learned" and that was the end of the laughter.

 

[Willie T]

How much have you talked to them about why we say what you call, "The Blessing", and why they are even doing it in the first place? I mean in the normal, natural everyday conversations you engage them in, daily, concerning God's interaction with us in all aspects of our lives?

I do hope your intention is to daily and consistently teach them a whole lot more than this being just something "Christians" are supposed to voice before eating, and maybe at bedtime.

For instance, this could be a shared discussion to involve them in at your regularly conducted family devotional times your husband leads each night... or however often you hold them.

 

[RenewMyMind]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I guess I'll just try to remind them to focus on the meal and people present. Sometimes I ask them to say the blessing and they forget to address the food totally! I do love that they speak from their heart though, and that they are so comfortable with speaking to God. I love that it's not something that's too formal and scary for them. Willie, I agree that meal time is a wonderful devotional time. We use breakfast for daily devotions and catechism.