By Father Jacob Dankasa
Special to The Texas Catholic
As the year draws to a close, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the months gone by — our successes, our failures, and the opportunities we embraced or missed. Some may already be drafting resolutions for the new year, hoping to chart a better course ahead. In the midst of these reflections, I invite you to consider one resolution that is often overlooked but deeply essential: nurturing the spiritual lives of our children.
When we look back on this year, let us ask ourselves: How much attention did we give to the faith formation of our children? Did we help them grow closer to God by teaching them about the faith, taking them to church regularly, encouraging their participation in parish programs, or simply being a living example of God’s presence in their lives? Our family’s spiritual journey should be as central to our reflections as our professional or personal achievements. After all, the home is the first school of faith.
As we step into a new year, I urge parents to make a deliberate resolution: Teach your children how to pray. This is not a task to be postponed or taken lightly. Prayer is the foundation of a living relationship with God, and children must be guided into it gently, consistently, and joyfully. Teaching them to pray can begin with simple acts such as asking them to say grace before meals, encouraging them to end the day with a short prayer before bedtime, or inviting them to join in family prayers. These small practices, repeated daily, help children see prayer not as a burden but as a natural part of life.
Yet, teaching prayer is not only about instruction; it is about example. Children learn best by watching. If they do not see their parents pray, lessons from school or church may remain abstract and bear little fruit. Parents must be the first witnesses of prayer in the home. A child who sees a father or mother kneel in prayer, who hears them speak to God with sincerity, will understand that prayer is real, intimate, and powerful.
When children attempt to pray, our role is to encourage, not to critique. The words may be simple, the sentences broken, but the effort itself is precious. Commend them for speaking to God, no matter how brief or imperfect their prayer may seem. In doing so, we make prayer approachable and joyful. If we burden children with expectations of eloquence or perfection, they may come to see prayer as difficult and abandon it altogether. Our task is to show them that prayer is easy, natural, and life-giving.
Scripture reminds us of this responsibility: “Train the young in the way they should go; even when old, they will not swerve from it” (Prv 22:6). Teaching children to pray is not merely about words; it is about shaping their hearts to remain rooted in God throughout their lives. A child who learns to pray early will carry that habit into adulthood, finding strength and guidance in prayer during life’s joys and struggles.
As we celebrate Christmas and prepare for a new year, let us resolve to make prayer a family priority. Let us commit to being examples of prayer for our children, guiding them gently into a relationship with God that will sustain them for a lifetime. In doing so, we not only strengthen their faith but also deepen our own, for teaching prayer renews the spirit of the teacher as much as the learner.
May this Christmas bring peace to your homes, and may the coming year be filled with grace, growth, and a renewed commitment to raising children who know how to pray.
Father Jacob Dankasa is the pastor of Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic Church.
