How to Incorporate Praying for Others into Kids Prayer Life.

In the words of Stuart Briscoe, "we pray for people because we care about people". Finding different ways to teach your children how to empathize with others is a good start.

Dave Ramsey gives a great suggestion on how to increase children's sensitivity towards others by teaching them how to use their money. He suggests to have children put aside their money into envelopes that either have the word "spend", "save" or "give" written on them. By disciplining your children to give away a portion of their earnings, you are not only teaching them the importance of helping others, but showing them that they have the ability to help others.

Every time we hear a siren, we pray for the people who are being helped and the helpers too. This is a small thing, but I beleive that these prayers are helpful to people who don't even know someone said a prayer for them. I also try to daily pray for my enemies. This is hard, but it helps me to forgive them, and I believe that it helps God to change my heart and theirs.

You can try just describing the situations of other people to your kids, but it probably won't make an impact. How about taking action instead of just praying? The ages you described are all ripe for giving back to the community. Get your kids involved with the local VET group, hospital, soup-kitchen, nursing home, animal shelter, toy drive, etc. Then you can pray for the people you helped that week, and add an extra prayer for those you were unable to help who are still hungry, lonely, neglected, sick, etc. When your children need to earn money by praying, have them suggest or think up people they could volunteer to help next time, and then follow through. I think you have a great opportunity here. You could do a different group every month, or something. When you say the prayers after working with those who need help, your children will really understand what they are praying for, and it teaches them wonderful lessons about doing God's work as well.

I liked Amanda's response about getting the kids involved with donating their time to local organizations then using that as a launch pad for "others' prayers. I was thinking that you should start "locally" - for the homeless person you see with the shopping cart full of aluminum cans, etc. and go globally gradually...praying for troops, government people in the news, maybe a singer or actor they like that is going through a bad personal time, etc. Good luck!

I've been thinking about this same type of thing b/c my kids (4 and 3) think prayers are just to "thank God for stuff." We started adding in "please protect the policemen, firemen, and army guys because they protect us." Of course, this is selfish for us b/c my husband is a firefighter! That may work for a beginning though - good luck. I'll be reading these responses carefully too.

If you are praying with your family, you are already doing more than the majority of families. Wonderful!

I have a little glass box and I write down the names of who I want to pray for and put them into the box. Then when we say family prayers, I will ask for blessings for the people on my prayer list (God knows who they are).
We also try to pray for our nation's leaders (Christ said to pray for those who hurt and despitefully use you), that they will be influenced for good.
With kids, You don't want to get too long with the prayers or their minds wander. If you can get them to pray at all once they are teenagers, count yourself blessed.
If you would like to add the Patalon Family to your prayers, we have some challenges right now that are weighing us down.

L.

Hi,
I am also working on teaching my children to be "charitable" prayer warriors. My sister-in-law read in a book somewhere that she should pray for someone (someone new or different) every time she got depressed or angry with her reoccurring bad situation. Then the devil wouldn't want to attack her and it would move on. Then she asked me to pray for someone different every time I prayed for her to heal, and I asked others to do the same thing. That way, there was an exponential increase in prayers and healing. It was really extraordinary! And even further...it encourages you to pray for someone whom you have never prayed for before. So, after a little thought, I realized that one could do exponential praying for thanks as well. So we are teaching this to our toddler and 4yr old right now. I don't know if this will help you, but I have found it to be remarkably healing to think of helping someone completely new every time you are praying.
Livy

Since praying is just talking to God it is not hard to talk to Him about anything.
Today, you could use the news to give you ideas for those to include in your prayer....victims of war or natural disasters for example.
When I was a little girl 60 years ago, we always prayed when we heard a siren go by, for the people who were at the receiving end of the fire truck's or police car's journey.
Right now you could be praying for those who are suffering from the cold, especially that the homeless would find shelter for example.
Perhaps you could let each of your children choose an intention on a particular day of the week, for the whole family to pray for.
By praying for others we are loving and caring for them just as God commands us.
You are already praying for others, just extend it on....it is not rocket science...go for it.

A good way to bring in others is to watch the news and ask the children what they feel about the war and total strangers dying in crimes. Ask them if they think god would help them if asked. Would they be willing to ask?

I think we all are selfish in our prayers but he does answer them. I pray when I pass an accident for god to send angels to wrap the eflicted in his grace and to give them strength to endure their suffering. I do the same when I see a funeral procession or hear of a solder lost accross the seas.

try this:
www.sermons4kids.com/fivefingerprayer.html

I agree with the other mom that suggested the 5 finger prayer. It helps us -- even into adulthood -- always think of others.

Just be honest when talking to your kids. Tell them that you would like to do more of this -- that this is something you are learning/growing in, too. My kids are 6 and 3 3/4 (really -- he's not 3 1/2, he's 3 3/4! :)), and we talk through things like this. They really do understand. They can relate to your need for change, as well. And, it lets them know that they don't have to have a perfect prayer life when they become adults -- that their relationship with God is ever-changing and ever-growing.

Keep up the good, godly work. You're a good momma!

I've been the one to leave myself and my wants OUT of my prayers and always pray for others. I had to have a counselor tell me it wasn't selfish to pray for myself.

Use the A.C.T.S. method (I believe it's Acknowledge who God is and his authority, Confess your sins, T is Thanksgiving - thanking God for what he's done, going to do, etc. and the S is supplementation, in other words, what else is left - needs, etc. which should INCLUDE others FIRST. The order should be GOD, Others and then Self. If you use this method, you'll include what should be included, NOT forgetting the confession and thanksgiving and who God is, but ALSO others.

I would make an effort to find SOMETHING to pray for others about EVERY time, especially if you're not used to it. That may even be..."Thank you, God, for giving Alison the gift of being a kind, caring friend. Help her to continue to be kind and caring to others as you want us to do. Help me to do more of the same."

I would do this EVERY day and then make things like the military, children's hospitals, shelters, food pantries, missions, etc. EXTRA. This is what we do. It helps to remind them DAILY of the needs of others AND then prompts them to WANT to do additional things. I try to expose her to as much as I think her little heart can handle. It's amazing how big the heart of a 7 year old can be when God takes hold of it!

I ALSO make sure to thank God for beautiful days, beautiful sunsets, warm temps, the songs of the birds, the beautiful trees or flowers, the breeze on a hot day, etc. and we ACKNOWLEDGE that God gave those to us. They don't have to be IN a prayer, just an acknowledgement as to where they came from. Children pick up on doing the same when you do them outloud or remind them we need to thank God for the WONDERFUL breeze on such a hot day, etc.

We also talk about it ALLLLL the time in nature...insects, flowers, trees, animals, etc. and how God equips them. LOVE LOVE LOVE those conversations!! And.......I'm sure God does too.

What a great idea! Just tell the kids what you told us--this is something you realized you would like to do. I know a church that prints in the bulletin, each week, the name of a family from the church, another congregation in the city, a county in Ohio, a level of government (e.g. city council, county commissioner, governor, US Senate etc) and asks everyone to pray especially for those people that week. Or as someone else mentioned you could ask each child for an intention for the day or week, maybe even let them speak it as part of the prayer if you do this as a family (as opposed to praying individually).

If one way doesn't work, try another, you will figure something out!

Blessings to you and your family!

K. Z.