It’s true–and I think I’ve pretty well put it out there–I’m not the most organized person.
You know, I implement a lot of ideas and don’t keep them up or the kids complain.
They complain through trying to say the Rosary everyday (or even just a decket). They’ll complain through trying to read the Bible everyday. Or they’ll complain through trying to read another spiritual book everyday. Whatever spiritual goals I try to implement, somebody is going to complain.
I’d like to believe that something is getting through anyways, but I confess, some days I get discouraged. Still, there are spiritual words of wisdom and aids I’d like to pass on to my kids. Things I notice in the way the act or treat each other that I’d like to address. Things I read that I think would be good for one or more of them to hear.
So here is my new plan to provide some variety, keep things casual, hopefully cut down on complaining and hopefully still help them learn about the Lord and the toolbox of our faith (a subject for another post)–I’m calling it:
8:30 Chats
At 8:30 (or a little later depending on our schedule), we sit down and after the shushing and the yelling, we do something to help our spiritual lives. For example:
- We read a quote from a book and discuss it.
- We read a chapter of a spiritual book (Right now, Matthew Kelly’s Perfectly Yourself).
- We pray the Rosary.
- We pick a spiritual topic and discuss it.
Then we finish with bedtime prayers all together.
So for instance, in this past couple weeks:
- We prayed the Rosary in it’s entirety offering it up for a dear family we know with a very sick child.
- We read excerpts from the book, The Power of Silence by Robert Cardinal Sarah about the meaning and purpose of pauses and periods of silence in Mass. We then discussed what we were supposed to do during periods of silence and how to turn our hearts and mind back to Jesus when we get distracted at Mass.
- We watched a movie about St. Peter on EWTN.
- We read the first chapters of Matthew . . .and will continue to read through the New Testament.
- We watched the part in Jesus of Nazareth where John the Baptist baptizes Jesus in honor of John’s birthday.
- We read excerpts from the book Taming Your Tongue about being divisive and being argumentative and talked about why mom might have chosen this subject and how we can do better.
Now, keep in mind like many of you I have a variety of age groups and it’s quite possible that my five year old isn’t learning anything except (maybe) how to be quiet while we’re talking. Still, I’m hoping to make this a lasting habit even after summer ends. I just want to know that maybe, once in a while, I’m doing something for their spiritual good, that when I go to bed at night and I’m doing my examination of conscience that my kids’ spiritual lives was not something that was neglected or pushed to the back burner.
I’m not saying theyr’e not complaining at all, but my feeling so far is that it’s been good for us. I’ll check back in with you in a few months and let you know how it’s going!