Our toddlers love to pray. In fact, they’re so spiritual they even fight over who gets to pray first :). Though they may not fully understand yet, they’re learning the important spiritual discipline of talking to God.
As parents and grandparents, our prayers for and with our kids matter. One of the most beautiful pictures of parental prayer in Scripture is Hannah praying for a son and then dedicating her son, Samuel, back to God.
Her intentional prayer life shaped Samuel into someone who communicated with God throughout his entire life—both as a child and as an adult.
As we think about building spiritual habits in our kids, prayer doesn’t have to be long, formal, complicated, or perfect; it just needs to happen.
The biggest barrier to family prayer is usually overthinking it. So, start simple—even 30 seconds at bedtime counts.
The key is making prayer a warm and enjoyable routine, not a chore. You can do this by simply attaching it to something that already happens: meals, car rides, or bedtime routines (Deuteronomy 6:5-7).
Let your kids hear you pray in front of them. Pray for them by name. Let your kids take turns praying themselves. Create a family prayer list. Celebrate when God answers prayers.
Remember, more is caught than taught. If your kids see you pray privately and hear you share answered prayers, it changes everything.
What’s one realistic moment in your day where prayer could naturally fit? Start there, start small, and watch God work in your family’s heart.
You’ve got this!
** Building a habit of prayer with your kids is so important, but sometimes just knowing where to start is the biggest challenge. To help, here’s a Free Prayer Guide with practical ideas for when, how, and what to pray for with your kids.
Andrew Linder is a husband, the father of four awesome kids, and a children’s pastor at a thriving church. He is the founder of GodlyParent.com and is passionate about intentional parenting and helping other parents and leaders effectively reach the next generation. He is also the author of the new book, Godly Parenting In An Ungodly World: How to raise not just good but godly kids through heart-driven grace-based parenting.
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