Question about Bedtime prayers

[Momzilla]

I'm curious about what bedtime prayers other parents use. We say a little compline prayer:

Guide us waking, Lord, and guard us sleeping
That awake we may walk with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

Then we do "God blesses."

Is anyone else willing to share their traditions?

 

[faith177]

that is beautiful, we do now I lay me down to sleep pray the Lord my soul to keep, keep me safe through the night, wake me in the morning light.
Then we each do our own prayer thanking and praying for each other and needs.

 

[Tangnefedd]

I kept mine very simple for the kids. "God bless".

We didn't say grace, but one grace that I heard once and amused me was "Rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub."

 

[mamaneenie]

Yes, we make our own up, just very simple, he is only 27mths, and doesn't say much, except for Amen, he loves the end bit lol. I just thank God for all the fun we had through the day, and ask God to bless the people we know.

 

[lucypevensie]

I pray with our kids at night. My 4 year old doesn't like to pray out loud for some reason. I think he feels a little awkward. My 6 year old says beautiful little heart prayers, thanking God for this or that person, then asks God to help this or that sick person. It's dfferent every night. Then she ends with "I love you, Jesus". It melts me every time

 

[HeatherJay]

I pray with our kids at night. My 4 year old doesn't like to pray out loud for some reason. I think he feels a little awkward. My 6 year old says beautiful little heart prayers, thanking God for this or that person, then asks God to help this or that sick person. It's dfferent every night. Then she ends with "I love you, Jesus". It melts me every time

Aww...your 6 year old sounds much like my 5 year old. She goes through all her thank yous (her family, her cats, her dogs, her toys, her movies, basebal, etc.) over dinner every night and is not at all ashamed...she always volunteers to pray, even when we're out in a restaurant...it's beautiful. My 3 year old just likes the AMEN part.

At night we say "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray thee, Lord, my soul to keep. Your love stay with me through the night and wake me with the morning light." And add prays for anything we need (good dreams, feel better, etc.).

 

[faith177]

Kids are so cute, my daughter when she was two would have the longest prayers, in her cute little girl voice, thank you for the doors, thank you for the windows, thank you for my doll, and thank you for this doll, and thank you for my teddy bear, and on and on

 

[karla]

We do the "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Angels guard me through the night till I wake with morning light." We are also doing the Lord's prayer and will probably venture on to the Hail Mary after she has the Lord's prayer down, which is almost 100% there. It's so cute to watch her say it during mass We also say God bless and then name those people she wants to pray for. It ends with her saying "I love you Jesus" and blowing a kiss to the crucifix that is above her bed. My son is pretty young yet so all he can chime in is the Amen.

 

[Etharia]

When I would pray with me niece and nephew before bedtime we usually did thank you's, pray for whoever my nephew thought appropriate, and prayed that God would watch over them while they slept, guard their dreams, and give them rest.

I tried never to make the prayer the same because I didn't want them thinking that there is a formula for praying to God but that they can pray about whatever is on their hearts.

 

[Andry]

I'm actually amazed how much and how easily my 4yo prays (and not because of my skills as a parent!). Although we have bedtime and mealtime routines on prayer, which he can ramble on, but what's really special is that he will pray at other times of the day and for all sorts of situations as they arise. He'll prayer for healing if he has an 'owie', prays for me as I go to work. It's quite remarkable and humbling to watch.

A quick story, to which my wife was not amused that I gave in but understood: Over Christmas at ToysRUS, AFTER I had bought him a present that "Jesus" would give him (we make Santa the 'delivery man' in our house), he wanted a 'different' toy. So right there in the aisle at ToysRUS, we both knelt down and prayed! So what could I do by return later in the day and buy it!?

 

[tonya]

AT WHAT AGE DID YA'LL START THE BEDTIME PRAYERS...MY 20 MONTH OLD GETS A BEDTIME STORY AND WE DO SAY GRACE BUT I DON'T THINK SHE GRASPS THE BEDTIME PRAYER YET..

 

[lucypevensie]

AT WHAT AGE DID YA'LL START THE BEDTIME PRAYERS...MY 20 MONTH OLD GETS A BEDTIME STORY AND WE DO SAY GRACE BUT I DON'T THINK SHE GRASPS THE BEDTIME PRAYER YET..

Actually you can start it when they're newborns. They don't have a clue what you're saying but it's a very loving thing to do and babies know when they're loved. You can pray with your 20 month old. Just say a quick prayer, not too long. Eventually they get to the point where they want to be the one saying the prayer. My 4 year old finally got comfortable enough that he wants to pray aloud. Even though it's usually "thank you for the kitties, amen"

 

[Momzilla]

Thank you all for your advice. I've chilled out about it, and Andy is responding much better. Some nights he doesn't want to pray, and others he wants to stay in bed and hold hands, but most nights we kneel by the side of the bed (he sits on my lap). I usually do the prayer and the "God blesses", and then we both thank God for whatever's in our heads, which is sometimes very amusing!