Do your kids say prayers before bed?

Question

Do you teach your kids to say their prayers before they go to bed? I do, it's something that I never did as a child but learned on my own when I got older, and it helped me grow a lot closer to God. I always swore up and down that I would teach my kids about God, not religion. I think teaching them to "say goodnight to God" as they like to call it is really good for them in learning how to talk to God, which was something I didn't discover until I was a teenager.

Anyways, each of my kids has their own little prayer that's just for them. After they recite their little thing, we do "God bless mommy, and daddy, and grandma and, etc".

My daughter's is:

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

See me safely through the night,

And wake me with the morning light.

Amen. I love you Jesus.

And my son's is:

Father in heaven hear my prayer

Keep me in thy loving care

Be my guide in all I do

And bless all those who love me too.

Amen. I love you Jesus.

But we're currently trying to come up with a new one for my 3 year old daughter as well. This is what we're thinking of going with:

Help me to do the things I should

To be to others kind and good

In all I do and all I say

To grow more loving every day.

Amen. I love you Jesus.

Thoughts? Also, if anyone has any other short prayers that might work well, feel free to share them :)

Answer 1

We do pray - but not rehearsed pray - I have taught  my children to talk to Jesus and God like they are talking to a friend, to ask for help with things that may be in their mind and for forgiveness for their sins and thank him for things in their lives... and to pray for loved ones and thank God for letting them be in our lives...  

Answer 2

That's really great to hear! We say a blessing at the dinner table and at at bedtime I do a kids devotional with my 8yr old. Its age appropriate and this month's devotional is on kindness. There are some Bible verses and a couple paragraphs about kindness and then he reads the prayer at the end. I really enjoy doing this with him and sometimes opens a discussion about whatever may be going on in his life at school or whatever. Good parenting to you!! I also ask him to pray with me sometimes about specific needs or whatever else is going on.

Answer 3

I think that's so sweet! I never really had my son say a specific prayer at bedtime, but I have taught him that he can talk to God anytime, anywhere, about anything.

Answer 4

We don't say them but I don't have a problem with anyone who does.  I do want my children to learn about God but since our oldest daughter passed away from leukemia, God and I haven't had the best relationship.  We really aren't on speaking terms yet.  I know that someday it will be easier but we aren't there yet.

Answer 5

Those prayers are very well made! I love them :) Here are some of my own:

Dear Lord,

Help me to grow straight and tall,

Help me to learn, and to play ball.

But the most important of them all,

teach me Dear Lord, to love one and all.

Amen.

Good night Lord and thank you once more,

for the flowers and birds and the lions that roar.

Hold me close, oh so tight,

so I can sleep till the morning light.

Amen.

Lord, keep us safe this night,

Secure from all our fears.

May angels guard us while we sleep,

Till morning light appears.

Amen.

Father, we thank You for the night,

And for the pleasant morning light,

For rest and food and loving care,

And all that makes the day so fair.

Help us to do the things we should,

To be to others kind and good;

In all we do and all we say,

To grow more loving every day.

Amen.

Angels bless and angels keep

Angels guard me while I sleep

Bless my heart and bless my home

Bless my spirit as I roam

Guide and guard me through the night

and wake me with the morning's light.

Amen.

Before I close my eyes tonight

I thank you Lord with all my might

For my friends and neighbors, too

For everyone that's in my school

And keep my family in your heart

And may I remember

We're never apart.

As I slumber in my bed

Keep my angels overhead

And with the dawning of the day

Angels can then

Watch me play.

Well, I hope you like some of the prayers that my family and I do and some that I found off of the internet! I hope you find a prayer for your daughter!

Answer 6

Now I lay me down to sleep

I pray my lord

My soul to keep

if I should die

before i wake

i pray my lord

my soul to take.

Amen!

This is the one my parents taught me and i'll be sure to teach my kids. short and sweet. Good luck!! :)

Answer 7

As soon as my kids can start to talk, we use simple, short, prayers. They also know that they can say their own. Here are some we use:

MORNING (we use these occasionally):

Jesus, keep me all this day.

When at school and when at play;

May I do all things I ought,

May I hate each evil thought;

Help me love and trust in Thee

Now and through eternity.

Amen.

All through the day,

I humbly pray,

Be Thou my Guard and Guide;

My sins forgive

And let me live,

Blest Jesus, near Thy side.

Amen.

BEDTIME:

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep:

May God guard me through the night

And wake me with the morning light.

Amen.

Angels bless and angels keep

Angels guard me while I sleep

Bless my heart and bless my home

Bless my spirit as I roam

Guide and guard me through the night

and wake me with the morning's light.

Amen

n my little bed I lie:

Heavenly Father, hear my cry;

Lord, keep Thou me through this night.

Bring me safe to morning light.

Amen.

Forgive, O Lord, for Thy dear Son

The ill that I this day have done.

That with the world, myself, and Thee

I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

Amen.

MEALS:

We thank Thee Lord, for happy hearts,

For rain and sunny weather.

We thank Thee, Lord, for this our food,

And that we are together.

Great God, Thou Giver of all good,

Accept our praise and bless our food.

Grace, health, and strength to us afford

Through Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord.

Amen.

It's funny, because it seems like a lot, but they learn them really quick. Good luck, it's great to see another parent teaching prayers.

EDIT: But don't forget to have them learn to be able to talk to Him like a friend. That is something my kids need to work on too.

Answer 8

Oh LORD no...If i had my kids doing that..they would be the next tom cruise and family.That suri cruise kid is creepy.Never smiles

come to think of it,she kind of looks like Damien from the movie the omen...ERRRRRKS

Answer 9

We make it a point to pray with our children before bed time.  We don't have a rehearsed prayer though, but we will teach our kids the "now I lay me down to sleep" prayer because it's cute and I said it as a kid.  It's good to see another parent praying with their children.  That's wonderful.

Answer 10

Praise God that you are praying with your kids.  I believe that it is important to pray with your children and to let them see you pray by yourself at times.  We pray at every meal, before we go on a trip (short or long) for safety, before we enter a store to shop for financial responsibility and blessings, and before bed.  Not to mention when we hear about someone being sick or in need.  I also find it extremely important to not only say good night to God, but also good morning, too.  We teach our son that we should start our day and end our day with the Lord on our mind and heart.  The Bible says to pray without ceasing.  We have taught our son that he can talk to God anytime, anywhere, about anything.  When you put it all in God's hands He will take care of it and you.  

Now that our son is older we have taught him to pray to God as though he is talking to a best friend.  Which is what God wants to be, our Best Friend.  We also teach him the importance of praise and worship to God.  The Bible, prayer, praise, and worship are our connection to God.  Our "plug-ins" to the Heavenly Father.

Keep it up!  I love your little prayers.  My son said a similar version, when he was little, of the first one you listed...

"Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

May angels watch me through the night

And wake me in the morning light.

I love you Lord.  In Jesus' name.  Amen"

♥May God richly bless you above and beyond!!!♥

Answer 11

I usually said the first one it got me close to God and taught me to pray now i say prays all the time i would try the religion column to

Answer 12

That sounds cute. We are not religious but when my kids were younger and in a Christian Preschool they learned a prayer and we did it with them each night. They eventually decided they didn't want to do that anymore and wanted us to sing songs and read books. We are crazy about bedtime- we'll do whatever it takes to make them sleepy and comfortable. I say if it they like it, and it makes things peaceful before lights out- then it's cute.