How to Teach Children to Pray: Advice from Fr. Dominic Legge

Leading by Example in Prayer

• 👨‍👧‍👦 Giving a good example is the most crucial aspect of teaching children to pray, as seeing parents practice prayer is more powerful than simply being told to do so.
• 🙏 Fathers, in particular, serve as a powerful role model by demonstrating their own reverence and prayerful posture before God.
• 🧎 A vivid childhood memory highlights the importance of proper prayer posture, emphasizing that even small corrections from a parent convey the significance of prayer.
• 🕯️ Incorporating prayer into the family rhythm, such as praying the Rosary nightly, can create a calming and unifying ritual, even if participation is casual.

Experiencing and Recalling Miracles

• ✨ It is important to rejoice in and recall miracles that occur in our lives and the lives of others, as evidence of God's active presence.
• 🌟 Sharing accounts of divine intervention, like a friend experiencing a miraculous healing or a profound spiritual event during confession, reinforces that Christianity is a personal encounter with a living God.
• 💬 Recounting these experiences helps children understand that God is at work in the world today and that His action should be expected.

The Importance of Small Favors in Prayer

• 🤝 Developing a friendship with God and the saints involves asking for both big and small favors, not just during times of crisis.
• 🚗 The story of St. Anthony helping find a parking spot illustrates that saints are willing to assist with everyday, seemingly trivial requests.
• 💖 Asking for small favors is a sign of friendship and trust, honoring God and the saints by acknowledging their desire to bless us.
• 📈 This practice helps individuals rely on God more profoundly, experiencing His presence and help in daily life.

Praying for Oneself

• 🧠 Praying for oneself is essential, as it directly removes personal obstacles to receiving God's grace.
• 🤲 When praying for others, one can only ask for God's blessing, but cannot guarantee the recipient's readiness; praying for oneself, however, actively disposes the individual to receive.
• 🔄 This focus on personal prayer fosters a continuous turning towards God, making prayer an ongoing conversation rather than an infrequent event.
• 🕊️ Casting all anxieties, not just serious ones, upon God, as advised in 1 Peter 5:7, leads to living in constant communion with Him.