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Family prayers

One of the best-known quotes in the world is ‘The family that prays together stays together.’ But how can praying together come about in the everyday turmoil, tantrums and tiredness of family life?

The first requirement is that the parents should both really want ‘family prayers’, and organise the day’s timetable accordingly. If there isn’t agreement at that point, then the idea should be shelved for a while. But if you want to pray – when and how?

• Saying grace at mealtimes. Try beginning with saying grace before the main meal of the day. ‘Thank you hevenly Father for this good food. Amen.’If there’s any doubt as to who should call the household to order and say ‘Thank you’, then the job is Dad’s. He may of course delegate the task of saying the prayer to another member of the family, and a little book of graces can help the children choose a prayer and take turns saying one.
• Add another ‘Thank you’, as time goes by and you get used to it.’Thank you Lord for a lovely holiday (or a safe journey, or that grandma’s with us today) and thank you for this good food. Amen; Far better to keep it simple than try anything churchy or complicated.
• Saying prayers at bedtimes. The same applies to prayers at bedtime with young children. Just a sentence or two is enough. ‘Thank you Lord for a lovely day. Please may we have a good night’s sleep with no horrid dreams. Amen.’ After a while we can share ideas – ‘What do we want to tell Jesus about tonight?’ – and introduce short prayers about the things that are going on in our lives and in the lives of others. There’s nothing like praying with children to keep or prayers practical and to the point – and to look out for god’s answers!
• A family ‘night in’. As the children grow older, it’s a good idea to make one evening a week (or in the month) a special evening when everyone’s at home together. In Jewish families this has traditionally been Friday night. (Sabbath Eve), with special foods, family prayers, fun, laughter, and treats for the children. John Robinson suggests that Christian families might do something similar, sharing a candlelit meal, perhaps playing a board game or watching some television, and including a short Bible reading and prayer at the beginning and end of supper. The best way to improve our praying together is to improve the overall quality of our family life.

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