praying as a family

We say prayers before our meals, and I just bless my daugher before bedtime. We don't do the rosary or anything like that yet being she is only one and doesn't have an attention span yet. We have her blessed at church every week though. Nice question.

we pray before meals and usually as I am feeding the baby at 3a.m. I whisper the little prayers in his ear. Generally they are prayers of thanksgiving and asking for God's blessings on specific people, always including birthfamily.

I love that at our church, if we take a baby (or small child who hasn't yet made First Communion) up, the Eucharistic Minister places a hand over the child and says, "May Jesus bless you with His love". So I carry baby A up every time! And I make the sign of the cross on his forehead on the way in and out of church with the Holy water. Before I go to bed each night, I place my hand on his heart and say, "May God bless you, care for you, guide you, love you and protect you". And since our sleeping issues started, I also ask the baby angels to watch over him at night and pray that he only has good dreams (just in case he is having nightmares. Funny, but it seems to make a difference, even if I have to do it an extra time during the night.....)

StorkWatcher, I know what you mean about sleep issues. I also pray for me to have patience through the night because she can't help what is happening to her! Hope things change soon for you as well as us.

Funny, my sister said she used to pray for patience with her kids all the time until she realized that patience is only gained through trials--so she felt like indirectly she was praying for more trials to be sent her way:) so she stopped asking for patience and all is well. I think that's a hoot.

I pray over the kids at night but I also do night time prayers with them. My 4 year old kind of gets it (he's been home from Russia 18 months now) and my almost 2 year old just thinks its another song we sing. Sam makes me say my prayers after we say his and he has to help me make the sign of the cross - and I have to remember to say "God, help me be a good girl" just like we say in his prayers. Its too funny! I also tend to sing church songs when I rock the little one. I especially like to sing "Gentle Woman" and then I usually ask Mary to help me be a better mother. I don't pray for patience, but I do pray that I will be guided to do the right thing for my children. When I was growing up, my family would kneel around the coffee table in the living room and pray the rosary on Good Friday at 3pm (it always rains briefly at that time...watch next year and you'll see). I told my husband of this tradition and he wants to include it for our children, but they're still a little young to understand. I think when the youngest is 4 we'll be ready to do this. Christina

Em's sister cracks me up about praying the trials her way! Hmmm. It's getting me to wonder! I pray to follow the examples of the Holy Family and to be guided by them and to be a good Christian parent. Christina, I will try to remember the rosary and Good Friday tidbit - that's interesting!!!! I love that our church prays the rosary every Sunday before Mass during Lent and wonder why they don't do it year round. I guess we'll just have to do it more often in our home. I do love to say it in public, though. Strange, but especially at funeral homes at a viewing for a family member - I am SO consoled by it then. Okay. I'd better stop digressing...

We say a blessing before meals, usually "Bless us oh Lord..." but lately the kids have been wanting to pray other prayers like Glory Be or Hail Mary and our four year old always enjoys spontaneous prayer before meals. We also say a little bedtime prayer together and then ask God to bless people. Another time we like to pray is when we hear sirens or see ambulances/firetrucks go by. We pray for the well being of the people they are going to help and strength and safety for the rescue workers themselves. I definitely pray for patience and wisdom among other prayers throughout the day. It's awesome to see our 8, 7, and 4 year olds spontaneously praying or singing praises. Warms my heart. My 8 year old just had his first Holy Communion and had been asking to pray the rosary with me. I am a convert so really have never prayed more than a decade or two at a time. But we have prayed the entire rosary together, just him and me a couple times now. Both times have been a wonderfully reflective time for both of us. Thanks for a great post! Kim