It is very important to share your love for Jesus in your home and teach your children about Him. I believe in teaching kids about my faith when they are young. The first thing you can do is baptise your children.
The Catholic faith teaches us to baptise our children when they are infants. It is best to get your child baptised as soon as he or she is healthy enough to be taken outside the home. This is usually when your child is about 3 or 4 weeks old. Although, I waited until my children were two months.
Here are a few ways you can share your faith with your children.
Read the bible to them. There are several books with bible stories that are geared to your child's age. I've seen everything from baby bible stories, bible stories for toddlers and even student bibles for older children. Visit your local Christian bookstore for the best selection in bible stories.
Pray with your children. I'm constantly preaching about how important
prayer is. Prayer has brought me closer to God and it will also help your children grow closer to Him too. I pray with them every morning, before meals and at bed time. When I drive my daughter to school in the morning I have all three children in the car so I say a small morning prayer with them. The little ones are starting to understand how to pray a little bit better now too.
Display your faith around your house. Hang up a crucifix in a room where your family frequents. Make sure you have photos or statues of Jesus out where your kids can see them. This might help start conversations and help your children to ask questions about Jesus. Their inquisitiveness will help them learn more about your faith.
Always take your children with you to
church (or mass if you are Catholic like me) every Sunday. Show a good example and go to church every Sunday. When you go make sure you take your children with you. Teach them about church. Tell them that it is Jesus' house and they are a guest. Teach them about proper behavior in church. If your church has religious statues go for a walk around after the service with your children and talk to them about the statues. This is also a great learning experience for children.
Bless your children. Whenever my kids go somewhere with out me I bless them on the forehead before they leave. I trace a small cross on their forehead and say, "God Bless You." Ciara usually blesses me back. It is so cute.
Pray for your children. I pray for my children every day. I want them to grow strong in faith and love for Jesus just like me. Below I will share with you the prayer that I say.
God bless all of you.
A Prayer of Parents for Their Children
(taken from the Catholic Devotional)
Almighty God, You have called us to the holy state of Matrimony and have shared with us You gift of creation. We thank You for making our love fruitful. May we be worthy representatives of You, dear Lord, in forming our children in Your knowledge and love.
You have given us children, Almighty God, to teach in Your ways which will lead to their eternal home of heaven. May our children ever walk in the ways of Your commandments and live according to the teachings of Your holy (Catholic) Church. May our example, dear God, be such as to inspire our children to grow into the likeness of Your Son, Jesus Christ. May we be firm but kind in discipline. May we stand as one united in authority so as to be consistent. May we never confuse permissiveness with love. May we teach our children respect for Your authority in ourselves and in all Your representatives upon earth.
May our home be as a Church, for You, Lord Jesus Christ, are present wherever two or three are gathered together in Your Name. May praises of God frequently rise from the lips and hearts of our family and may we all one day be united in our eternal home. Amen.
The Catholic faith teaches us to baptise our children when they are infants. It is best to get your child baptised as soon as he or she is healthy enough to be taken outside the home. This is usually when your child is about 3 or 4 weeks old. Although, I waited until my children were two months.
Here are a few ways you can share your faith with your children.
Pray with your children. I'm constantly preaching about how important prayer is. Prayer has brought me closer to God and it will also help your children grow closer to Him too. I pray with them every morning, before meals and at bed time. When I drive my daughter to school in the morning I have all three children in the car so I say a small morning prayer with them. The little ones are starting to understand how to pray a little bit better now too.
Display your faith around your house. Hang up a crucifix in a room where your family frequents. Make sure you have photos or statues of Jesus out where your kids can see them. This might help start conversations and help your children to ask questions about Jesus. Their inquisitiveness will help them learn more about your faith.
Always take your children with you to church (or mass if you are Catholic like me) every Sunday. Show a good example and go to church every Sunday. When you go make sure you take your children with you. Teach them about church. Tell them that it is Jesus' house and they are a guest. Teach them about proper behavior in church. If your church has religious statues go for a walk around after the service with your children and talk to them about the statues. This is also a great learning experience for children.
Bless your children. Whenever my kids go somewhere with out me I bless them on the forehead before they leave. I trace a small cross on their forehead and say, "God Bless You." Ciara usually blesses me back. It is so cute.
Pray for your children. I pray for my children every day. I want them to grow strong in faith and love for Jesus just like me. Below I will share with you the prayer that I say.
God bless all of you.
A Prayer of Parents for Their Children
(taken from the Catholic Devotional)
Almighty God, You have called us to the holy state of Matrimony and have shared with us You gift of creation. We thank You for making our love fruitful. May we be worthy representatives of You, dear Lord, in forming our children in Your knowledge and love.
You have given us children, Almighty God, to teach in Your ways which will lead to their eternal home of heaven. May our children ever walk in the ways of Your commandments and live according to the teachings of Your holy (Catholic) Church. May our example, dear God, be such as to inspire our children to grow into the likeness of Your Son, Jesus Christ. May we be firm but kind in discipline. May we stand as one united in authority so as to be consistent. May we never confuse permissiveness with love. May we teach our children respect for Your authority in ourselves and in all Your representatives upon earth.
May our home be as a Church, for You, Lord Jesus Christ, are present wherever two or three are gathered together in Your Name. May praises of God frequently rise from the lips and hearts of our family and may we all one day be united in our eternal home. Amen.