Sometimes the most powerful moments happen in just a few minutes. And while uninterrupted moments with your child can be few and far between, there鈥檚 one that you might be underutilizing: bedtime
Bedtime is something that鈥檚 already part of your routine鈥攂ut are you taking advantage of it? Instead of just reading a story, this is a great time that鈥檚 already built into your schedule to help your child take in what they experienced in the day, talk about it with you, and pray about it. You can turn a quiet moment into a daily rhythm of connection, reflection, and growth. Here鈥檚 how:
Questions and Guided Prayers for Bedtime
Research shows that simple parent-child conversations build emotional security, strengthen trust, and help form lasting values like faith. Pair these kinds of moments with prayer and reflection, and you can create a nightly habit that forms your child鈥檚 faith one day at a time. These questions and prayer prompts will help you do just that!
Gratitude
It鈥檚 never too young to start cultivating gratitude. Not only is it good for your mental health, but taking inventory of things to be thankful for is a great way to remind kids that God is present and working in their lives.
Ask:
- Where did you see God鈥檚 goodness today?
- What鈥檚 one thing you want to thank God for today?
- Did you notice something today that made you feel close to God?
- When did you feel most aware of God鈥檚 love today?
- Who or what reminded you of God鈥檚 kindness today?
Prayer prompt: God, thank you for all the good things we saw and felt today. Thank you for your love that surrounds us, and for reminding us of your goodness. Help us notice your kindness every day. Amen.
Feelings
God wants us to talk about our feelings with him. As kids are still developing emotional awareness, these questions can help them learn about their feelings and how to talk to God about them, good or bad.
Ask:
- Did something make you feel peaceful or happy today?
- Did something make you feel worried or
- Did something make you feel angry or sad today?
- What鈥檚 something you want God to help you with tomorrow?
- What鈥檚 something you want to dream or hope about with God?
Prayer prompt: God, thank you for listening to how we feel. Please help us with our worries and remind us of your peace. Amen.
馃 Learn how to recognize signs of mental health struggles and have helpful conversations with your child about health and healing.
Living Out Their Faith
It鈥檚 a huge responsibility to help your kids grow in kindness, purpose, and faithfulness as you teach them to follow Jesus. These questions can help them become more sensitive to the needs and opportunities around them and show them how they can live out their faith and make the love of Jesus easy to see.
Ask:
- What鈥檚 something you did today that showed someone God鈥檚 love?
- Did someone do something today that showed you God鈥檚 love?
- Did you have to make a hard choice to do the right thing today? How did that feel?
- Did you make a choice today that you feel guilty about? Let鈥檚 ask for God鈥檚 forgiveness together.
- How can you encourage someone tomorrow?
Prayer prompt: God, thank you for giving us chances to show your love. Please help us do what鈥檚 right, even when it鈥檚 hard. Teach us to encourage others and trust you every day. Amen.
馃挰 Talking to your kids about sin doesn鈥檛 need to be scary or uncomfortable. These conversations can actually help your child to learn more about who Jesus is and how much he loves them. Here鈥檚 how to talk to your child about sin without scaring them.
Closeness to God
It鈥檚 hard to remember that God is present in all areas of life鈥攎aybe even harder for kids! These questions can help your child recognize that God is their loving Father who is always with them and help them recognize his presence.
Ask:
- What鈥檚 one thing you learned today鈥攁bout yourself or about God?
- Did you notice God helping you in a surprising way today?
- What鈥檚 one thing you want to try this week to show God鈥檚 love?
- What鈥檚 something you want God to help you with tomorrow?
- When did you feel joy or laughter that you think made God smile?
Prayer prompt: God, thank you for being with us in big and small moments. Help us notice the things you do and the ways you help us. Guide us tomorrow and help us grow in our faith and our love for you. Amen.
Small Moments Make a Big Difference
Don鈥檛 underestimate the power of a simple question or conversation. By taking a few minutes at bedtime for some reflection and prayer, you can help your child build habits that will shape their faith for the rest of their life.
You can also use this time to help your child build the habit of reading the Bible! Reading or memorizing a Bible verse or starting a Bible Reading Plan together are great ways to help your child learn what the Bible says and what it means for their life.
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