Prayers with Children

Need More Family Prayer Time? Try Musical Prayers

Posted on Mar 29, 2013 in Daddy's Tool Box, Prayer and Meditation, Prayers with Children | 1 comment

Would you like to incorporate more prayer into your family’s routine?

In this post we will read a quotation about the effects of praying with our children and explore the idea of utilizing Baha’i music to add more prayer time to our days.

Eight Ideas for Teaching Prayerfulness

Posted on Jan 2, 2013 in Childrens Classes, Creating a Spiritual Home Environment, Kids Sweets, Our Resources, Prayers with Children | 3 comments

Regular reading of the Writings and prayerful meditation on the teachings are two of the requisites for spiritual growth.  Incorporating prayer and the spirit of prayerfulness into our daily routine will no doubt aid in fulfilling these obligations.

When we pray, we are in the presence of God.  It is a very special time, a time to be humble and to listen with all our hearts to God’s guidance.  Before we pray we should clear our minds and focus on God by taking a prayerful position.  This may mean sitting with our arms crossed or hands on our laps and our eyes closed, to help us concentrate.  Our voices should be reverent and we should listen quietly when others recite prayers.

This post offers eight ideas for teaching prayerfulness to young children.

Interview with Emily Mohajeri Norris: Mother, Educator and Co-Founder of Tender Sapling

Posted on Nov 21, 2012 in Daily Reflection, Prayers with Children, Resources for Children | 22 comments

Emily is an educator turned homeschooling mother to three boys and co-founder of Tender Sapling, a Baha’i inspired online shop and blog.  She can also be found teaching Children’s Classes, serving as Organizational Change Facilitator for Best for Babes Foundation, and writing about creating a breastfeeding-friendly world.  Emily has a master’s degree in education from Harvard and has designed and managed educational programs in the United States, Asia, and Europe.

In this interview we will talk with Emily about how the Baha’i Faith has shaped her role as a mother, and influences her home life as well as her business.

Tiny Seeds Coloring Book (Free 11-page download!)

Posted on Sep 19, 2012 in Prayers with Children, Resources for Children | 18 comments

Misha Blaise is an artist and graphic designer who lives Austin, Texas with her husband Nick and their son, Kazimir.  A few years ago she designed a full color prayer book which you can purchase from Misha’s online Etsy shop.  Find the prayer book by clicking here.

“I made this book when I was pregnant with my son; I really wanted to create a special gift to welcome him into the world with.”

The book is a compilation of several prayers and Writings that Misha hoped to help her son memorize.  She also selected some Writings she felt would be appropriate for friends of the Faith who would enjoy teaching prayers to their children.

“As for the graphic design, I wanted to use a design style that was accessible and cute but also just a little edgy.   I think there is often a certain ‘go to’ type of imagery in the world of children’s books: for instance if we are talking about the oneness of humanity, there has to be a picture of 5 children of different races and in various ethnic clothing holding hands in a field of flowers.  Of course I think that imagery can be powerful, but I wanted to experiment and see if there were other ways I could create fun and uplifting images that communicated these ideas.  I self-published the book; it is difficult to find publishing companies who want to take on printing a full color book because it is very expensive.  My hope is that I can continue to sell my book successfully and make more books in the future!”

If you would like to order the prayer book  for US$11, you may like to sign up for Misha’s newsletter beforehand to receive a free shipping code to use at Etsy.

Our Experience with Radiant Hearts (Guest Post: Leanna GM)

Posted on Aug 22, 2012 in Prayers with Children, Radiant Hearts, Virtues in the Home | 4 comments

Leanna, mother of a two and a half year old, shares her family’s experience using the Radiant Hearts program.

When we started using the Radiant Hearts program in my family I wasn’t sure how much of the ideas were sinking into my son’s consciousness.  I tried to keep my expectations low – after all, he is just a two year old, having fun with songs and construction paper, right?

Yet as time has gone on, I’ve noticed that he has become comfortable with the vocabulary of the program and can easily use the language of virtues in our daily routines.  He knows what it means to use a “gentle” voice or to have “courage” before going to the doctor.  Just the other day, when I reminded him that we would have to wait a while for something to happen (his birthday!), he nodded and said, “Patience.”  All these concepts are still developing, of course, but I am constantly impressed by how much of the lessons he has absorbed and how they have given us tools to discuss appropriate behavior.

If you are not familiar with Radiant Hearts, it is a program for spiritual development designed for little ones, from babies to preschoolers. Which means that it gives parents tools to explain spiritual concepts in terms that kids can understand. What does friendliness mean, for example? Sharing your toys, saying hello, smiling, helping someone.

Helping Children Establish the Habit of Reciting the Short Obligatory Prayer

Posted on Jul 19, 2012 in Featured, Kids Sweets, Our Resources, Prayers with Children | 1 comment

Although the law of reciting of one of the Obligatory Prayers each day is not binding until someone reaches the age of maturity (15 years), many parents wish to help their children learn about Obligatory Prayer during childhood.  Showing your children how to perform ablutions and sharing what it means to face the Qiblih can help them understand the significance of the Obligatory Prayer and also give them a practical way to express their innate desire to connect with their Creator as they become of age.

Baha’u'llah revealed:

Prayer for Expectant Mothers – Song and Video

Posted on Jun 28, 2012 in Before Birth and Infancy, Mama Treats, Our Resources, Prayer and Meditation, Prayers with Children | 3 comments

‘Abdu’l-Baha revealed a a special prayer to say while expecting a baby which can also, of course, be recited after babies are born. Our prayers for our children remain the same regardless of their age.

The video below shares this prayer, the tune of which was composed and sung by Cheryl Watson Cooney whose other music you can find here.  It features Baha’i mothers and their children from around the world – thanks to all who submitted their photographs for this project.

How to Make a Prayer Box (also known as Spiritual Treasure Box)

Posted on Jan 10, 2012 in Childrens Classes, Prayers with Children, Radiant Hearts | 1 comment

Small, colorful prayer cards can aid in concentration and memorization, and are not as word-based or fiddly for toddlers as prayer books.  These can be kept in a Prayer Box.  By creating a Prayer Box, you will have a place to keep the words to the prayers and quotations you are memorizing and also have a hands-on, visual reminder of some of the words in these Writings.  Want to know how to make one?

How to Make a Family and Friends Pick

Posted on Jan 9, 2012 in Prayers with Children | 0 comments

A “Family and Friends Pick” is some sort of container (box, bag, jar, etc) that holds names or photos of family and friends that your family would like to pray for.  Each time you pray, you can ask your child to select a name/photo at random and then your family can pray for that person.  Here’s how to make one…