Little eyes are watching. They absorb what you say and what you do.
This past Sunday, I had the privilege of sitting outside to spend time with God doing my Precept Upon Precept study of the book of Matthew. (And no, this is NOT an affiliate link.)
I was a bit distracted by this sweet sight.
Ezra sat content . . . restful . . . only moving his fingers to turn a page . . . for a solid hour. And when he was done, he was so excited about being with Jesus!
Be sure to link up about your sweet spot on this post . . . please do share how you spend time with Jesus, even if it is just a comment or on Facebook.
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Teaching Your Child to Have a Quiet Time --
Many of you have asked how to go about initiating “quiet times” with your children. Good question.
Initially, my goal is to establish a routine.
From a routine we create a habit. The habit of being by yourself. Being still so that that stillness can later be transferred to being still before the Lord.
I begin quiet times with my kids when it appears they are giving up their first nap. By that time they can sit up and hold a sippy cup. Umm . . . yea . . . I guess I also teach my children to have a comforting beverage with the Lord.
But seriously, think about it. when you meet with someone . . . a dear friend . . . don’t you often meet over a Starbucks or a steaming cup of tea?
I thought so.
So . . . at around 12 months or so we begin.
The quiet time replaces the morning nap. The quiet time starts before your little one shows signs of being a wee-bit tired . . . but not quiet ready for a nap.
Sippy in hand, we climb the stairs to said child’s (ren’s) bedroom(s). I help them into their crib or bed. I pile a few books on their bed along with approximately 3 indestructible toys. As they begin to play and sip their leche, I read to them from their Bible (see this post).
So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)
Then, I turn some soft music on and exit the room. My favorite music for kids? Anything from Seeds of Worship. (By the way, Jolanthe (Homeschool Creations) is hosting a giveaway for some Seeds music right now.)
The typical length of my kids’ quiet times? 30 minutes to an hour, or whenever the CD is over.
They come to need it. They crave it. I also enjoy it. Quiet descends over the house for a short bit each morning. We all get refreshed.
As they grow older, their quiet times evolve. Books change from cardboard to picture books to word books . . . but somewhere is always a Bible that is age appropriate.
And now . . . my almost 7 year old spends some of his time . . . not playing, but praying and reading his Bible.
Or looking at his Action Bible . . . which has some pretty cool pictures.
How do your kids do their quiet times?
Do share . . . I’ll leave a Linky just in case . . . because this could be a great resource for moms who want to know how to launch their children into the blessing of a quiet time with Jesus!
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