Now that you are all sitting down together as a family eating a wonderful meal what do you discuss? How to do incorporate God talk into the family time?
Most families may say grace, a short prayer that is usually the same prayer every night before dinner or even bed.
But to spark more conversation and growth for little ears here are a few ideas to begin tonight.
Highs & Lows
Go around the table and have everyone share what their high of the day was and their low. Praise all the highs and talk about the lows. Why was it a low? What could have made that a high? How are you feeling about it?
Prayer
Encourage the prayer to be different every night. With little ones it may be hard and they may only know a few things to say. If everyone is taking turns that will help others learn how to pray. And, mom and dad take your turn too! Pray specifically for things and be thankful specifically too. There is not a better way to teach our kids to pray then to show them. They will repeat us and do as we do.
Easy toddler and preschool prayers can be a small song;
(Sung to the tune of Where is Thumbkin)
God our father, God our father
We thank you, we thank you
And our many blessings and our many blessings
Amen, amen
Other ideas are to keep all your Christmas cards in a bowl or box in the dinning area. Each night pull one card and pray for that family.
A friend’s husband said this little prayer when he was a kid, “Rub a dub dub, Thanks for the grub, YAY God!” Silly and short yes but for a real young toddler they will learn that God is the one deserving of thanks and can praise Him.
Just Talk
Dinner time is a great time to talk about the kind of day everyone had and the next days plans. Use the time to get your kids talking. Play a game or ask fun questions.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What is your favorite book and why?
If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
Play guessing games. Think of a place and give clues and see who guesses the right place.
Talk about the Bible Story they heard in church on Sunday.
Your options are endless…but I am sure due to the busyness of life mealtime may be rushed in between work, practice, homework, etc. Just make a point to sit down without rushing a couple times a week. Turn it into family night on the weekends and include board games, puzzles or a movie afterwards.
Does you family have any favorite mealtime topics or activites?
I’ve noticed that when somebody opens up spiritual topics with kids (either by starting a discussion, or by reading some Scripture and talking about it), that seems to provide a forum for the kids to ask the other spiritual questions that have been on their minds. What could be better? So, I’m finding that, even if I don’t have the perfect “devotional” ideas or “discussion topic” ideas, I can open those discussions regularly, and provide that forum, and God can use even that!
Thanks for the suggestion on the prayers. Our little ones love to pray, but for mealtimes, they always seem to say the same thing. They don’t do this during bedtime prayers though. Maybe they’re ready to eat! =p We do share about our day and I can’t imagine not having this time together.