Benefits of faith

For your children

Hey Mama, Why should you help build your children’s faith?

Faith, especially when built early on, can have a huge impact on your children’s emotional and psychological development. My opinion is strong, prayer is the most powerful tools in your “mama tool belt.” And I’ll help you understand why my opinion is so strong on this! Take heart, teaching your children to pray doesn’t have to be complicated, but it can have a lifelong impact.

But first, let’s talk about why teaching your children to pray is so important from a psychological and emotional standpoint:

1. Prayer Regulates Emotions

Prayer offers children an intentional pause—a moment to process and express their emotions. Whether they are dealing with worry, anxiety, or fear, prayer gives them a healthy outlet to release those feelings and invite peace into their hearts.

2. Prayer Helps Kids Feel Safe

Through prayer, children can develop a sense of safety and security. Knowing they have a loving God who hears them can bring comfort, especially in times of uncertainty or stress.

3. Prayer Validates Emotions

Prayer gives children a safe space to share their feelings—whether happy, sad, or frustrated. It teaches them that all emotions are valid and can be brought to God, promoting emotional awareness and acceptance. We all want to be heard and children are no exception.

4. Prayer Cultivates Empathy

Empathy is a key part of emotional intelligence, and prayer can help foster that in your child. Praying for others helps them develop compassion and a broader perspective, nurturing kindness and concern for those around them. Empathy promotes emotional intelligence, social skills, self-awareness, and academic performance.

5. Prayer Strengthens Mental Health

Teaching your kids to pray builds resilience. It equips them with spiritual coping mechanisms that can help combat worry, anxiety, and stress. Prayer provides a sense of hope, identity, and value, which is key to developing a strong sense of self.

Remember, while prayer will not cure or prevent biologically based mental health challenges, it can be a powerful tool to help your child navigate the environmental stressors they face and benefit their emotional and spiritual health.

In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray with The Lord’s Prayer. This heartfelt prayer serves as a foundation for conversations with God, but it does seem a little complicated for children, especially young children. Instead of rote memory, let’s break down the structure and simplify it so that children can have their own conversations with God and build their own faith.

I’ve taught hundreds of children to pray using several different methods, but the ACTS method is by far the most effective and easiest to implement. You can use it for yourself also, mama! Break it down even simpler for younger children into “I love you, I’m sorry, Thank you, Please.”

Let’s see this in action with a sample prayer:

Dear God, You are so wonderful! Thank You for loving me and I love You too. I am sorry that I yelled at my brother today. I did apologize to him. Thank You for forgiving me. Thank You for my family, my home, and my new bike! Please protect my grandma, she is in the hospital. And please help me to have more patience when I am playing with my friend Dean at school. Also, please help me win my soccer game! Amen.

Children’s prayers will be silly! Encourage them to give all their prayers to the Lord and help guide them through learning to pray.

Have questions? Shoot me a message.

Snag my templates in the Mama’s Discipleship Guide.