Take It Home Why Don’t You?

Posted by ajenkins on October 11, 2009 under Devotionals, Just A Thought | Comments are off for this article

Family Devotions Tips

Starting devotions with very young children builds time with God into the rhythm of their lives at an early age.

Here are some tips for successful devotional times:

1. Be Consistent. Determine how many days a week you will spend in daily devotions.  Will it be every day, every other day, or only weekdays?  Choose a time that works for your family.  Involve your children by letting them put stickers or drawing smiley faces on the calendar for each successful daily devotion.  Keep the calendar accessible to the children and celebrate each successful week.

2. Keep it Short. Leave your children wanting more.  For example, if you play a game until everyone is tired then you have played too long.  However, if you end with everyone screaming “one more round”, you will have them coming back eagerly to play next time.  Finishing on a high note creates anticipation for the next time.  Remember: Less is more.

3.  Keep it Simple. Do not make the material too complex for your child.  If you would like more information on age-appropriate resources, please contact Mary Ellen Doran at mdoran@saint-james.org

4. Have Fun. The #1 goal of devotion time is to have fun.  Children will learn their is joy in their friendship with God.  Family Devotions should never become boring.

5. Don’t Give Up. If you take the “All or Nothing” approach you will surely fail.  Realize that you will not be perfect in your devotional life.  Remember to see everyday as a new opportunity.  You may even want to build some days off in your devotional life.  Remember: Don’t let a bad patch stop you.

6. Involve the Kids. Family devotions are not a one-way street.  Devotions must engage the parents and children.  Use a devotional book with pictures to help you.  You then can ask the children simple questions about the pictures/story.  Take advantage of daily devotions that have a short prayer or Bible verse.  Children learn through repetition, so have the children repeat the prayers or verses.

We pray these tips will help you create successful devotional times with your family.