Praying daily for our children is the most powerful thing we can do for our children. It should be a regular part of our personal prayer rule. Particularly during the years prior to adolescence, daily scripture reading offers a powerful opportunity to discuss the expectations God has for us as Christians. What better way to teach our children the valuable lessons of Christianity than by following the daily scripture readings. The church calendar available from nearly every parish at the beginning of the year can be tucked into the family Bible so that readings can take place along with daily prayers.
Evening can be a good time to gather.
The family can offer up prayer, read the scriptures, and briefly discuss them. This needn't take more than a total of 15 minutes, but can be indispensable in preparing our children for daily life as Christians who are pleasing to God. The amount of time spent discussing the readings should be adjusted to the personalities and ages of the children involved. For younger children it may be appropriate to read the Scripture selections and concentrate on one message from the passage. For older children, it can be appropriate to discuss the passages more fully.