Do you pray the rosary with your children? As a child, we prayed the family rosary every Sunday, and so the rosary has always been a big part of my life. One of my favorite memories stems from watching my mother pray the rosary. She prayed the rosary every single day, and that has had such a positive impact on my life. I knew the moment I got married that I wanted to introduce the rosary to my children, but I also knew that we would need to start slowly.
At first, we started family prayers with our petitions, plus an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be. Eventually, we began to pray one decade of the rosary every night. One year, we decided to pray a rosary every night for Advent.Â
Advent came and went, but we never stopped praying the rosary. We love praying the rosary together now, and it has brought so many blessings to our family! I know that praying the rosary with all your children can seem intimidating, but if you start small and find ways to keep them involved, they will eventually come to love it and even sit still. (Well, sometimes.)Â
With so many small children, it is inevitable that some nights will be chaotic, but we always push through. It’s important to remember your why. I want my children learn how to pray the rosary now so that it becomes second nature by the time they are adults. Padre Pio said that the rosary is the most powerful weapon in the world, so I want to arm my children before they leave the house. At some point, perhaps when they are in college, they will need to pray the rosary on their own. What better way to learn than as a child? Praying the rosary now, or even the Divine Mercy chaplet, will give them the foundation they need for their adult prayer life.Â
So how do we do it? To get ready for the rosary, we make sure the kids are completely ready for bed first. Homework is done, baths have been taken, and everyone is in their pajamas. We use a spot that is clear of clutter and free of distractions. We pass out these illustrated mysteries, to help the little ones focus. Each child leads a decade, and by the time we are finished, everyone is usually quite sleepy. and heads off to bed after.
(Tip: We do not use chain rosaries for children under 8, since they tend to break easily. We use something like this.)
If your little ones are noisy or wiggly, don’t worry! Some days will be better than others. For us, while some nights things go smoothly and everyone is quiet, other nights we have to encourage them to sit up and be reverent. It’s okay it takes a while for everyone to adjust! It’s worth it!
I’ve noticed such an outpouring of grace since we started praying together as a family. My children seem to get along better, and they are more obedient. I pray very specific intentions for each of my children, and I notice God answering those prayers.
What about you? Do you pray the rosary with your children? If so, feel free to drop any tips in the comment section. God bless!
