Bedtime is often a time when worries or fear show up in our children. In our family, discussions about the concerns of my kids’ hearts or anything that is making them feel anxious seem to surface in the quietness of bedtime. We have also walked through seasons of intense bad dreams and restless nights, and as a result, part of our bedtime routine now is to read and meditate on (or think about) Scripture as a family.
When I was a child battling fear and homesickness, God used His Word as a very real source of comfort and a reminder of His nearness and of His faithfulness. As I renewed my mind through the Word of God and trusted in His promises, fear dissipated and I was able to sleep peacefully.
Depending on Jesus through meditating on His Word is the only way I made it through some nights as a child and many nights as an adult. I learned the habit as a young child, and it is now something I am trying to teach my kids.
In addition to reading Scripture together at night, we have also begun to speak a bedtime blessing over our kids before they fall asleep. We see the example of blessing our children in Scripture and know there is power in blessing our kids.
By definition, a blessing is a prayer asking for God’s favor and protection, and to bless is to confer or invoke divine favor upon; to ask God to look favorably on.
“A bedtime blessing is a way to intentionally guide our children toward peaceful, Christ-centered thoughts” (Catherine Wilson, “Goodnight blessings: Making the most of bedtime discussions“).
I am a firm believer in praying Scripture and believe that a blessing based on Scripture is the most powerful of all.
The following 5 blessings, are bedtime blessings based on Scripture that we pray in our home, especially when one of us is feeling worried or afraid.
- Thank you, God, that You are our refuge and our strength a very present help in any type of trouble. May _______ be still and know that You are God, may _______ lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O Lord, make ___ dwell in safety. (Psalm 46: 1, 10, Psalm 4:8)
- _______, may you go to sleep tonight thinking about things that are true and honorable and lovely and worthy of praise. And as you keep your mind fixed on God and trust Him, may you be kept in perfect peace, knowing the peace that Jesus gives so that your heart will not be troubled and you will not be afraid. (Isaiah 26:3, John 14:27, Philippians 4:8)
- _______, may you rejoice in the Lord always. Rejoice! Because the Lord is near, may you not be worried about anything but in everything, seek God with thanksgiving. As you sleep, may the peace of God, which goes far beyond all understanding, guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)
- _______, may you seek the Lord who answers you and delivers you from all your fears. May your face be radiant and never ashamed as you look to Jesus and may the Lord hear you and save you from all of your worries. (Psalm 34:4-6)
- _______, may the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)
If you’ve never prayed a blessing over your kids, try one of these! I’d love to hear how it goes for you.
Because so many of you asked, I’ve made these available for you to print and have ready whenever you need them. CLICK HERE to grab a printable copy of these bedtime blessings!
Praying you find power in God’s Truth for your family,
Erika // erikadawson.com
forthefamily.org
Bedtime Blessing
Blessing is an ancient practice and common element in almost all religions. Why not start a lovely new tradition in your family with this simple Trinitarian blessing for your children. It is a great way to settle restless children to sleep and a comforting ritual for kids who experience nightmares or have trouble sleeping.
It is also a perfect little ritual to do with your grandchildren.
A blessing is simply a special form of prayer, where one person prays ‘over’ another, asking God to enrich them with his grace. Blessings may be prayed silently, though they are usually prayed aloud allowing the child to hear the words of encouragement and longing for his prosperity. Often a blessing is accompanied by a physical gesture such as laying one or both hands the head or shoulders of the child. Christian blessings conclude with a Sign of the Cross marked with the thumb on the child’s forehead. – CathFamily eMagazine, ‘Grandparents’, July 2013
For Grandparent’s Day
Take the handout and make it a special gift for your grandparent! Trim it and frame it with some paddle-pop sticks. Decorate it however you like! Check out www.catholicicing.com for further instructions and ideas.
Download Handout Here
This activity featured in the June 2012 and July 2013 edition of the CathFamily e-Magazine. For more, check out:
- Faithful, Faulty Families
- SmartLoving: A Faithful (Faulty) Marriage
- Family Prayer Bookmarks
Kiara is the former editor and designer of CathFamily and the daughter of the founder, Francine Pirola. She is a self-taught graphic designer and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney researching Papal Diplomacy in Latin America
cathfamily.org
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Nov 07, 2017 Stephanie Davis
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for: Parents and young children
Bedtime Blessings turns a little girl’s bedtime prayer into a story of thankfulness. This is an excellent book for parents and children with a Christian worldview. It appeals to an audience around the age of five, and includes a very diverse group of characters within the story. As the little girl wanders through her day, she is seen interacting with individuals of different ages and skin color. This story teaches children how to be thankful for what they have been provided, while allowing them Bedtime Blessings turns a little girl’s bedtime prayer into a story of thankfulness. This is an excellent book for parents and children with a Christian worldview. It appeals to an audience around the age of five, and includes a very diverse group of characters within the story. As the little girl wanders through her day, she is seen interacting with individuals of different ages and skin color. This story teaches children how to be thankful for what they have been provided, while allowing them to develop an understanding of prayer. Personally, I think this is a unique book that is sure to calm a child before bed, while providing them with many reasons to be thankful.
Richmond, Marianne. (2017). Bedtime Blessings. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.
…more Jun 06, 2017 Julie
rated it
really liked it
What a pretty bedtime prayer! My toddler loves the pictures and the rhymes are nice.
A nice thank you at the end of day; introduction to prayer.
This is a great book to read to young children to teach them the meaning of being thankful for everything they have as well as for all the people in their lives. It is also a great way to teach children how to pray as well as to set up a routine of nightly prayers with your children. I think it might also give adults (parents) a nudge to remember how to say thanks and have a thankful heart as well. The graphics are simple but the words are powerful. I did not have a problem with the font in this This is a great book to read to young children to teach them the meaning of being thankful for everything they have as well as for all the people in their lives. It is also a great way to teach children how to pray as well as to set up a routine of nightly prayers with your children. I think it might also give adults (parents) a nudge to remember how to say thanks and have a thankful heart as well. The graphics are simple but the words are powerful. I did not have a problem with the font in this book as other reviewers tended to. This book does mention God and some people of other religious beliefs many have a problem with that, but if they use the word as whatever God you believe in, there should not be a problem. I can see this book being used as a bedtime story for many children and for years to come. With Thanksgiving just passing in Canada and coming up in the United States, this book would have been wonderful to be released in the fall instead of in the beginning of the year. The publisher generously provided me with an ARC of this book via Netgalley. …more Although the sunny colors that drench this sweet picture book’s pages as well as the reminder to count our blessings at the end of the day–maybe even throughout the day–are appealing, I found the enlarged words with different colors rather distracting. Sometimes I like that technique since it allows me to show students the important ideas in a text or on a page, but in this case, I often didn’t necessarily agree with the words that were stressed as another reviewer has pointed out. As I read t Although the sunny colors that drench this sweet picture book’s pages as well as the reminder to count our blessings at the end of the day–maybe even throughout the day–are appealing, I found the enlarged words with different colors rather distracting. Sometimes I like that technique since it allows me to show students the important ideas in a text or on a page, but in this case, I often didn’t necessarily agree with the words that were stressed as another reviewer has pointed out. As I read the book, a feeling of inner peace filled my heart, and upon reaching the concluding page, I was pleased that blessings were being called down on others, not just the one praying. Some readers might find the book problematic because of the author’s use of God, but that concern could be counteracted by explaining that a Higher Power or a God, if you will, can come in many different shapes and forms. …more I was able to meet the author at BEA and pick up a copy of this book.
This is a great book to read to young children to teach them the meaning of being thankful for all that they have and those around them. It also is a way for parents to institute nightly prayers with their children, something that seems to have disappeared in many homes.
The graphics are simple but the words can have a powerful impact on impressionable children which is what we would want to create a kinder society for the futu
I was able to meet the author at BEA and pick up a copy of this book.
This is a great book to read to young children to teach them the meaning of being thankful for all that they have and those around them. It also is a way for parents to institute nightly prayers with their children, something that seems to have disappeared in many homes.
The graphics are simple but the words can have a powerful impact on impressionable children which is what we would want to create a kinder society for the future.
…more Children will enjoy peacefully refocusing their thoughts on gratitude for simple joys in this calming mashup of bedtime story and prayer time. My only criticism is the rather bizarre typeface choice for the book, with certain words being enormous and bold with the letters askew; the strange words are aesthetically unpleasant and discordant with the tone of the book.
I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read other reviews at decafJess.blogspot.com.
Jun 01, 2016 Ryan
rated it
it was ok
A child’s night time prayers are turned into a picture book. A fine a general boo. I do have a complaint with the layout of the words. The story uses too many bold words. Sometimes to this reader, the wrong words seem emphasized. I would suggest just leaving the “Thank You” to be bold and maintain a constant font and size for the rest of the words on a page.
Author and illustrator Marianne Richmond has touched the lives of millions through her delightful gift books, greeting cards and gift products distributed worldwide. Her enchanting artistic style and sincere sentiment, which adorn a growing number of products truly offer fans the most heartfelt way to celebrate the feelings of life.
More about Marianne Richmond
www.goodreads.com
The night would fall and we would pray
together at our table,
on our knees and by our beds
Life was a happy fable
Our family’s big, Our house is small
We’re crowded as can be.
But Father, there’s a lot of love
That’s shared here happily
My ma would tuck me in
I’d hug my dad in a warm embrace
I’d rest with peace and serene sweet dreams
There was no problem I couldn’t face
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take
We said the words with voices held low
But the angel of death? He did not show.
He not once lurked under my bed.
The reaper didn’t harm a hair on my head.
I love my Mom and my Daddy, too
They keep me safe each day
Please pray for brothers Kevin, Patrick, Sean, Rory and sister Maggie, too
That they have more time to play.
But one day we stopped those nightly rituals
They love me but it’s such a shame
I lay on my back all by myself
Aware that we’ll never, ever be the same.
Goodnight, my dear
Now remember I love you and please sleep tight.
And now there’s one last thing I have to tell you:
Don’t let the bedbugs bite!
We’re ghosts, shadows, and silhouettes,
lurking in our own home.
Amen.
www.theodysseyonline.com
