Most Christian parents want to start their kids’ day off with some time with God or in God’s word to better prepare them for the demands of the day ahead. However, school mornings are not the calmest time of the day and fitting in devotions may seem like an impossibility. Here are two simple yet effective ways to help you incorporate devotions for your children into a busy school morning.
Method #1 – For the slow-to-rise kid.
If you have a child who is difficult to wake up in the morning, starting her day off with a private Bible reading time while she lingers in bed is one way to plant God’s word in her heart for the day and gently transition her from slumber to the morning routine. You will need about 10 minutes and a Bible (I like the Contemporary English Version best for little kids – it’s easy to read and easy to understand). Simply go into your child’s room, turn on the closet light (it’s less harsh) rub her back and sit on the bed for a moment. Once her eyes can focus, say good morning. Next, introduce the book and chapter you will be reading and give a quick overview to help clear the cobwebs of sleep from her brain. Read the chapter and then quickly summarize a key thought. You can ask one or two follow up questions. Pray about the passage making sure to include any applications for the day. You may find that she rises much easier and the time you would have spend nagging her to get up was now spent on time with God.
Method #2 – For the breakfast lover.
For this method, you will need a laptop, ipod or portable devise from which you can access the web. Once all your children are situated at the breakfast table, go to Keys for Kids Daily Devotional. If you bookmark it, it will always load with the devotional for the day. Select your Bible translation and click “play”. As they munch, they can listen to God’s word as well as a story that illustrates a truth from the passage. Once “Uncle Charlie” is done telling the story and summarizing, click “pause”. There is a button at the bottom of the story that reveals the key thought for the day. Give all your kids a chance to guess what they think the answer will be before you click the button. Conclude with a prayer that incorporates the truth from the passage and story.
Carving out time for morning devotions can be hard. With a little planning and just a little bit of time, you can start your kid’s day out right.
What are some things you do to include God in your family’s morning routine?
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