childrens' prayers.

[ionesmum]

Hello, again! I want to try and give dd the best spiritual start in life that I can, and so I'm putting together a prayer book for her. I wondered whather any mumsnetters have favourite childrens' prayers? Thank you all so much!

Ionesmum, I remember my Mum saying as a prayer with me when I was little the first verse of Charles Wesley's Gentle Jesus Meek and Mild. The words are lovely, but as they are in King James style, I never understood it until I was much older, but it's stuck with me to this day.

Sorry not to be more help on this one, we just tend to talk together to God about our day, thank Him for whats gone well and nice people and ask for help with things that are difficult, then do the whole God Bless thing, this can stretch for hours,I did try to put a limit on 10 God Blesses once!

This is amazing. We had two childhood prayers which we switched around as we felt like it - one was the same as maryz (except it was Jesus "tender" shepherd) and one was the same as Jodees! Then we said "God bless mummy and daddy...list of siblings names...all my uncles and aunts, all my cousins and friends (all inclusive but not too time consuming!) and make me a good girl, for Jesus' sake amen"
I am smiling as I write this. It makes me feel so nostalgic.

maryz - so agree re "now i lay me etc". we are bringing ds up as a catholic - have told dh that prayer will NOT be said in our house - gave me the utter creeps when i was little.

ionesmum - for ds christening, amongst other gifts we got: The Lion Book of First Prayers (in a box set with a first bible, but I'm sure you could get it individually), and 'Celtic Prayers' to guard and to guide you - not strictly kids stuf, but nice none the less. Try a christian bookshop - Wesley Owen on Wigmore St. behind John Lewis on Oxford St. is very good. Don't fall for what my sil did though - she and my brother spent weeks with their 2 year old listing 'rachel nut' amongst his friends at nursery to pray for every night, amid much sniggering. Of course - there is no rachel nut - how cute is that?

That sounds like a lovely idea, ionesmum. On the same line, do you have any Christian books or tapes for dd apart from the bible? I would be interested in getting some stories with a Christian message for bed times. I never thought of myself as ott like this, but I recenlty read Jack and the beanstalk, and I was horrified really by nearly every aspect of it - Jack stealing from the giant, Jack stealing from the giant again, Jack's stealing leading to the giant being killed and his wife widowed. I really hated it!
Also, what about music tapes - my dear mil passed me a catalogue (I think came free in a Sunday paper or something) and it had advertised a couple of tapes with collections of childrens hymns, or general Cheristian songs (if there is such a thing?) but I went and lost it. Anyone have any ideas?

BTW Ionesmum - apart from chatting about God (when dh is not there) He doesn't get much of a mention in our house, so I'll be interested in taking a leaf out of your book and pinching soem of your ideas!

ionesmum, we have the Lion Book of Children's Prayers and a Walker Books paperback, In Every Grain of Sand. I like the latter because it also incorporates some beautiful prayers from non-Christian faiths. Both are beautifully illustrated and lovely to look at.
We sing our prayers rather than say them, I have to say - I find I'm less self-conscious about doing it that way.
Monkey, we have two really nice storybooks, both Christmas-themed: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (Walker), and The Greatest Gift (Barefoot Books), both of which deal with the redemptive power of unselfish love, and are cracking reads to boot.
For tinies, Lion do very simple retellings of Bible stories as board books.

Thank you for such lovely ideas! I will have a look for the books recommended, and will copy out the prayers, thank you.

Monkey, we haven't got dd any Christian books yet. I'd check out the SPCK website, and maybe also Canterbury Books. I think Wesley Owen may have a website too, and the St. Pauls Catholic bookshop (next to Westminster Cathedral) is fab. I will try and find their addresses. When your dss are older you can't go wrong with Narnia of course, and Harry Potter is also very good on good versus evil although I know some Christians feel uncomfortable with it.

Re music, I like the music from the Iona Community and the Taize community. Try www.ionabooks.com. , you can listen to the music before you buy.

I think that one of the greatest things a child can have is the sense that God is protecting them and that Jesus is their friend. So with dd I intend to get her to imagine God as a light surrounding and protecting her, or that if she is sad or lonely she can talk to Jesus about it. (I think the doctrine of the Holy Trinity might be a bit much for a little one to take in!) I also got great benefit from my crucifix as a focus for feeling protected. HTH