Jerry Windley-Daoust
Wellspring Publishing
formerly
Beacon Publishing for
Dynamic Catholic
ISBN 9781942611790
ASIN B01M0AZAGN
eISBN 9781942611813
This was a wonderful little book to read. It really packs a lot of content into 126 pages. I love praying with and for my kids. This book begins with a Questions and Answers Section. The section highlights, some of the how and why to pray with your children. And this book gave me a bunch of new ideas to try. One of the best things about this book is that the last section in the book is a checklist so you can mark off the ways that you have tried, and work your way through the 77 methods offered in the book. The other great thing about the book is that is that it knows it cannot teach it all, often it gives links or suggestions to go further with different methods of prayer offered in the book.
The sections in this book are:
Q & A: How to Use This Book
Chapter One: How to Pray Together
Chapter Two: Times to Pray Together
Chapter Three: Ways of Praying Together
Chapter Four: Helps for Prayer
A Final Word: Pray for Your Children
A Handful of Catholic Prayers
But the list at the end of the book has some highlighted sections worth mentioning:
Advent Wreath
Answer the Questions Jesus Asks
Apps for Prayer
Ask for What You Need
Bedtime Prayers
Bite-sized Biblical Prayers
Bless One Another
Bless Your Home
Celebrate the Anointing of the Sick
Celebrate the Eucharist
Celebrate Reconciliation
Consecrate Your Family
Contemplative Prayer
Daily Examen
Dance Your Prayer
Discernment
Display Holy Images and Objects
Eucharistic Adoration
Evening Prayer
Examination of Conscience
Family Prayer Time
Go on a Pilgrimage
Gratitude or Thanksgiving Journal
Holy Water
Let Kids Lead
Smells and Bells
Write Your Prayer
These were the 27 that grabbed me most my first time through this book. These are the ones I have set as the list to try first with my children. For example my son, my middle child has started to be afraid to sleep in his room alone. So we got bottles for Holy Water, now before bed we bless ourselves with holy water and make the sign of the cross. I do it over the children and then let each of them do it for me. Now each child has a bottle of Holy Water. If they get frustrated, realize they are not being the best version of themselves, or for whatever reason they can go and bless themselves and take a moment to pray. This has become so popular we now have a bottle on each floor of the house.
Also at the end of the book is a collection of 41 Catholic Prayers. Some my children already have memorized many we have not prayed yet, and now some more we are using regularly. Each section of the book has between 1 and 4 icons at the beginning, e, 3+, 7+, 13+ the e stands for prayers that require no preparation or material, you can read the section and do it. The + are age levels for the prayers.
This was a wonderful book. I know that as my children grow I will keep referring back to it. I do not know if we will try all 77 methods highlighted in the book, but I would like to think that over the next number of years we will get there. And I am sure if you give it a read there will be a few dozen that jump out at you to try right away, and likely a few that will stretch your comfort zone. But for the spiritual health of your children and even your own personal growth give the book a try!
Books by Jerry Windley-Daoust:
Living Justice And Peace
Primary Source Readings in Catholic Social Justice
Great Catholic Writings: Thought, Literature, Spirituality, Social Action
77 Ways To Pray With Your Kids
Touching the Hearts of Teens
Answering God's Call to Covenant
The Glorious Mysteries: Illuminated by Sixty Works of Sacred Art
The Joyful Mysteries: Illuminated by Sixty Works of Sacred Art
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