“I can personally attest that what your child receives on Sunday morning is possibly equivalent to taking a vitamin once a week. It’s helpful yes, but by no means can it replace the trouble you take to prepare a nutritious meal that your kids rely on for their health and sustenance.” - Marlene Maina for Josiah Kids
I’m sure that, as a parent, you understand the importance of your children having a strong spiritual foundation. Between work, activities, and everything else on your plate, being the spiritual leader in your home and integrating faith into your family life can feel overwhelming.
For me, I work early mornings to mid-day and my wife works mid-afternoon past bedtime most nights. In the time that I get with my kids I am usually exhausted, so being intentional with them and their faith takes that extra effort and deep reliance on the Lord for strength I – quite literally – don’t have. Relate?
This article contains six practical ways to make a spiritual investment in your child's life, even with a packed schedule.
Check out my blog: A Parents Role in Children’s Spiritual Development Stages
1. Lead by Example
“What you do shows your child how you want them to behave” - raisingchildren.net
Our children are constantly observing and absorbing all of the actions and words that we make. The most effective way to instill values in your children is to embody them yourself. Demonstrate kindness, compassion, and forgiveness in everyday situations. Read your Bible, have a prayer life, and serve others in and out of your Church.
When witnessed by your child, these actions become tangible things that they can begin to observe and ask you about.
2. Pray for, over, and around your Children
Thankfully, prayer doesn't require a dedicated space or special occasion. Praying for your children is so important and could be during your prayer time or commute to work. I use my daily commute to and from work for a lot of my prayer time). This can look like praying for their current and future selves.
Example Prayer: Lord, today I ask that you protect my children and that your word will always be close to their hearts. Help them understand you better and develop a real and personal relationship with you.
You could consider establishing little traditions like bedtime prayers or make it more organic by praying throughout the day out loud around your kids. This can look like praying for lots of different things like, praying over your children out loud to them, the Lord in your own lives, your other family members, major world events, your church, your children's teachers, etc.
Establishing this normalness of prayer around your children will help them grow into people who turn to prayer first for any circumstance in life.
3. Read To Them
Bedtime is the perfect and most traditional time to read to your child, although doing it at any time of the day is highly encouraged. Include age-appropriate Bible stories and Faith-Based Children’s Books alongside your usual books. Children's Bibles can make each story relatable and spark an early interest in scripture. These Bibles are designed to be more story-driven and include engaging illustrations for your child to follow along with. Make sure you are having discussions with your child about each story you read as it can be a lot to unpack!
My book Every Tree Has Its Place is a Bible Story Book focused on the Verse Ephesians 2:10 and teaches children about their unique value and God’s great plan in their lives.
4. Make Scripture Memorable
“I have hidden your word in my heart”
Psalm 119:11
The goal of reading scripture is not only to understand it and live it out but also to have it written in our hearts as the Psalmist says in this verse above. This should be our goal with teaching scripture to our children as well.
Traditional Bible memorization can be not-so-fun. However, there are creative ways to make it engaging and fun for children and adults. Transform it into a game, use fun songs to play in the car, or hide Bible verses around the house for a scavenger hunt or word puzzle game. There are also many apps and online resources that make scripture memorization interactive and fun for children.
5. Worship Around Your Children
Worship is not just a type of music, but also an attitude. We worship with our daily actions and words. Praising God out loud when things go good and when they go bad is an incredible way to foster the heart of worship in your children.
Another way to help your children have the heart of worship is by playing uplifting Christian or worship music in the car. You can also invite your children in for the worship portion of your church service so that they can be a part of and watch you worship, then return to their room when worship is over.
I know that I felt very special when I occasionally skipped children’s church and sat in with my parents during the worship portion of the “adult” service.
6. Celebrate and Uplift Your Children
"Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
Proverbs 16:24
Positive reinforcement plays one of the most effective parts of parenting. Acknowledge and compliment your child's efforts in their faith journey, no matter how small. Simple phrases like "I'm proud of how you handled that" or "You have a kind heart" can significantly boost their confidence and commitment to their faith. Celebrate their milestones, whether it's memorizing their first scripture verse or taking the initiative to pray for someone in need.
Remember: Consistency is key, but also be flexible. Find an approach that works for your family and adapt it as needed. The goal is to cultivate a lifelong connection with faith, not achieve a picture-perfect religious experience. By incorporating these strategies listed here, you can effectively invest in your child's spiritual development.
Sources
Other Resources and Links
Positive Reinforcement for Kids: 11+ Examples for Parents - Article
My book Every Tree Has Its Place is a Bible Story Book focused on the Verse Ephesians 2:10 and teaches children about their unique value and God’s great plan in their lives.
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