Daily spiritual walk with our children

“Train up a child in the way he should go; And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

Summer is winding down and school is upon us. For many of us parents it’s time to start preparing our children for a new school year. It’s a busy time rushing around gathering all their school supplies, new lunch boxes, new backpacks, meeting new teachers and classmates, etc. All this to get them physically and mentally prepared to start a new, successful school year.

As Christian parents we also need to make sure we provide a daily spiritual support system for our children and teach them how. If we look at Jesus’ life here on earth, He made sure to teach His disciples and made sure they were physically, mentally and spiritually prepared to take on their assignments before it was His time to leave them. It was a daily walk with much love and care. He taught by example and spent a lot of quality time with them talking and teaching them by His actions and His words. Even His spiritual time alone with the Father, talking and praying was a teaching moment. We need to model that for our children also.

First and foremost it is important that our children see us take time not only attending church on a weekly basis and getting them involved in Sunday school; but also taking time daily to feed ourselves spiritually by reading God’s word, praying individually and as a family, and communing with our family, church family and friends. These are all things Jesus did very well and taught His disciples to do as well.

A daily spiritual walk with your child…
A great way to start is to wake up each morning and as you are eating breakfast together, getting them ready or driving them to school, and begin talking about their day. Ask them questions about their teachers, classmates and the different things that are planned for that day. Then pray for them based on what they have shared; and begin engaging them to pray too for those specific things that they talked about. It doesn’t have to be a long prayer. Sometimes the best prayers are very short and simple ones.

I made it a point to purchase upbeat kid’s praise and worship songs to play in the car on the way to school every morning. I found it was not only fun, but it brightened my daughter’s morning and was a great start to a positive day. We would enjoy singing together every morning. I used this opportunity to ask simple questions about her day like what she was excited about and what she wasn’t so excited about, how her teacher and her classmates were doing, etc. That would always get her engaged and she would start sharing. And right before we got to her school I would say a prayer for her day and ask if she wanted to pray for the specific things she had talked about. At first she struggled with what to pray for and I would have to help her. I would always say just talk to God like you are talking to me and tell Him exactly what’s on your mind. As time progressed I wouldn’t have to ask her as many questions. She would already have her list ready and she quickly became quite an expert at praying. After we finished praying each morning I’d always make sure to send her off with a warm smile and a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Those drives to school are priceless to me as a mom and have always held a very special place in my heart that I will cherish forever.

Another thing you can do is surprise them with little love notes on their bathroom mirrors and/or in their lunchboxes periodically, sometimes with an extra special little snack. It doesn’t have to be anything big, just a little something to encourage them and let them know you are thinking about them. They are important to you and you love them. I am communicating to moms. However, I would encourage dads to take part in this exercise too. I have had the most fun surprising my daughter with little love notes in her lunchbox and an extra special snack. My favorite love notes have been little funny doodles, and funny comic strips with an encouraging word and scripture. Sometimes I add a few Hershey kisses or chocolates in a little sandwich bag too. Get creative and have fun with it. And if your children are grown up and headed to college or live on their own, don’t let that stop you; start mailing them little love packages. Trust me, they will appreciate them.

Dinner time is a good time to gather together around the table and talk about their day. It’s so important that during this time everyone, including the parents, is fully engaged. So make sure the television is turned off and no electronics are at the dinner table. We always begin with a prayer to thank God for our food and our day. When my daughter was younger, I made it a point to learn the prayer song she sang at school and would engage her in leading our prayer. Then we talk about our day, the things we prayed about that morning and I always ask her what the most fun thing was that day and even what the least fun thing was. That really helps her engage, and helps us spend quality time talking together. It has become our family tradition.

Bedtime is another time that is great to spend good quality time talking to your kids and praying with them. Read a couple fun books with them, talk about what each of you were thankful for that day and then end with a short children’s devotion and pray together. Many children’s devotions have a short prayer at the end too. I purchase a new book of devotionals each year that fits my daughter’s age. I have found that kids will do anything to stay up a little later at night. So make sure to start your bedtime activity with them a little earlier so that you can spend a little extra time before lights out.

Some of my daughter’s favorite books as a child were Dr. Suess books and my childhood favorite The Giving Tree. We visit the Library regularly to get new books. It’s such a great place to go because there is no cost and they have so many great books to choose from. As my daughter got older and started reading by herself we picked books out to read together at night. I’ll never forget the first big book we read together was Mr. Popper’s Penguins. We would always end with a short devotion and bedtime prayers. And as they get older and more independent you will find they still take that time before bed. My daughter still talks about how fun bedtime was to this day.

These are just a few things you can do to help your children to grow spiritually and teach them to have a daily spiritual walk. No matter how big or small, as long as they’re done in love, those seeds we plant in them will never return void. These moments in everyday life are what mold them and teach them, and in turn grow us too. Not only do they help them grow spiritually, they bless us, and always end up growing us and teaching us alongside them. So don’t miss out on those teachable moments with your children that you will treasure forever. They are truly life changing for both children and parents.

Dàna Marie Bucci
Christian Children’s Book Author and Illustrator of “A Big, Big Love”

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