Building Your Child’s Character Through Prayer

For most families (mine included), prayer can become a habitual routine that can also be borderline mundane. I invite you to put a spark in your prayer life and consider how powerful it can be, especially when dealing with building your child’s character.

Moment of total honesty here… up until about a year ago, I rarely thought about using prayer from a character building perspective. I would get a few things in mind and pray those like clockwork. “Thank You, Lord, for today. Thank You for our family, shelter, and food. Help us be more like You want us to be. Amen.”

Sound familiar? If so, it’s totally okay to admit, because here’s the thing… there is room for growth. This isn’t something that happens overnight, but taking baby steps forward is indeed moving forward.

5 Character Traits Built Through Prayer

Teaching our children important character traits through prayer has been one of the best ways we are able to not only show them how to foster a relationship with our Creator King, but also to show His plan for us.

I sometimes find myself saying, “That’s not how God wants us to behave.” Then, that leads to us finding Scripture to support appropriate behavior while adding things to pray for to our prayer journal or list.

There are five key character traits that can be built through prayer:

1. Encouragement
2. Trust
3. Gratitude
4. Strength
5. Patience

Some of these may look familiar because they are from the infamous fruit of the Spirit list; however, they are all important. Of course, there are a lot more that could be added to the list but I have found that having these built on a godly foundation is a great starting point.

3 Ways to Build Your Child’s Character Through Prayer

Prayer Journaling

If your child is old enough, invite them to start prayer journaling. This style of journaling can help with focusing on Scriptural affirmations, encouragement, needs, prayers for others, and so on. If they need help with where to start, suggest writing a few times a week or even once a day. Prompt them to share with you if they’d like to.

Family Prayer Time

Gathering together to pray for specific things can be pretty powerful. We often gather together and my husband will read the Shema (Deuteronomy 6) then he will pray. Other days he will pray first, then me, and then each one of the children (down to the 2-year-old).

Family Devotional Time

Two years ago I wrote and began a family-style devotional that has the Shema declaration, a monthly prayer, and weekly devotional. Everyday I read the three aforementioned and then we discuss it. It offers a great (and calm) start to our mornings and helps set the stage for the day.

One of the biggest benefits to using prayer as a means to build your child’s character is that it also builds yours in the process. Often times we look to teach our children a lesson when in fact, we are learning as well. As you navigate the throws of raising and building your children up, seize every opportunity to also help it grow you too.

CHIME IN: I’d like to hear from you! What are some ways you build your children’s character? Let me know in the comments!

View the full character building series here!

About the Author

Michelle Huddleston is a devoted wife, homeschooling mom, and work-from-home mompreneur. It is her desire to see families thrive, and especially women living unapologetically authentic to who God created them to be. You can find Michelle blogging about life at withthehuddlestons.com; teaching children through her online school for homeschoolers, Huddleston Academy; and, helping other mompreneurs find success in their business through her M3 service (Mompreneur Mastermind Mentor). Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube!