"Seven days without prayer makes one weak."

The days between Thanksgiving and Christmas are full of many tasks, which are fun and beautiful, but also may take our eyes off of the One we need most at this time. Making room for prayer in our busy schedules isn’t just something that is important during Advent, but is an essential part of parenting and living as a Catholic in this crazy world. In this podcast, we take some time to define WHY we should pray, HOW you can pray, and, most importantly, WHEN you can pray.

Why should we parents pray?

1. Out of justice, because God deserves your prayer
2. To gain inner peace and take time to slow down
3. To refocus on the meaning of life and remember what matters most
4. To receive grace and strength for your day
5. To seek His blessing, provision, and protection for your family
6. To listen to God and receive His wisdom for your life
7. To allow God to love you. Gaze upon Him and let the Lord gaze upon you.

“A child will have many friends and companions in their lives, but they will only ever have two parents.”

The role of parents in the lives of their children cannot be underestimated. Of course, we have a natural and biological role that is irreplaceable for our children - we are to protect and provide for them - but we sometimes forget our irreplaceable emotional and spiritual role. The world would like to tell us otherwise, but we need to stand firm in the truth that we have a dignity and responsibility as parents that we can't surrender. When your children are young, you are not there to be your child’s friend, companion, or buddy. You need to be the authority figure, the protector, the image of God the Father to them. This is a daunting task, but God will give you the grace you need.

Because this podcast is so important, we've listed an outline of it below.

What is your “irreplaceable role”? How can you take your rightful place in the life of your child in a way that no one else can?

• Protect them. Infants and toddlers need protecting, but so do teenagers. Looks different, but someone has to do it.
• Provide for them. We realize we need to give food, clothing and shelter, but we also need to provide for kids emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
• Form them. You are the first and best teacher of your child. Lean into that role and use the power of your relationship to speak to their heart.
• Be a student of your child. Observe them. Learn their personality type. Find what motivates them. This is true at every age. We all want to be known and it gives security like nothing else to be “known” by your parents.
• Invest in them. If you died tomorrow, in a few weeks your workplace would find someone to replace you. But your children would be changed forever by your loss. Your family is the greatest return on your investment. And your family needs you more than anyone else.
• Give them a sense of identity and belonging. Your child is a son or daughter of God and you are the one to confirm that identity. Create a family culture so your child knows that when the world beats them up, they will always know who they are and have a place in your home.
• Give them a sense of purpose. One of the highest and most important needs of man is a sense of purpose. Children need to know that God has a plan for their lives, that He has a mission specifically for them. Their life has a purpose, and you will be there to walk beside them and find that purpose together.