When my DD goes to bed, we've been saying "prayers" for awhile. But, it has only been, "dear God, please bless, so and so, etc. I love you. Amen!"

But, she's really ready to start memorizing a prayer, but, I've always had a problem with "Now I lay me down to sleep". I really dislike the "if I die before I wake".

Is there another simple prayer I can start teaching her. It has to be simple, though.

TIA

By Kate on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 09:00 am:

If you like that lay me down to sleep one, here are some similar variations:

now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
Thy love go with me thru the night
and wake me with the morning light

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
Guard me while I sleep tonight,
And wake me safe at dawn's first light

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
May Angels watch me through the night
and wake me with the morning light

Personally I think it's nicer if your daughter just talks to God at night and tells him what's in her heart...thanks Him for whatever, tells Him what she's afraid of, asks for help, etc. Maybe she could do that in addition to the memorized prayer.

By Angellew on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 09:20 am:

Thanks Kate! That's perfect! I can teach it to her one verse at a time!

It's much easier right now to get her to memorize something than it is to get her to "talk" to God. She's on the Autism Spectrum and with her particular type, her dialogue skills are low. It's difficult to get her to have a conversation about anything. Of course, you'd never know this by the amount she talks! You can't shut her up, but she's more of a question and answer girl right now! She asks, I answer... I ask, she answers! You'd be amazed how far you can get that way!

Thanks again. This is exactly what I was looking for!

By Kaye on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 09:49 am:

I am a Baptist and we don't really memorize prayers. However, several churches do memorize and repeat the Lord's Prayer. I have sat through several sermon's on meaning and I can see where you daughter might really enjoyu the asking answer phase about it.

By Tink on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 09:55 am:

My dks all have a simple "cover the basics" prayer that they've memorized and I've asked them to add a sentance or two about someone they know that needs God's comfort or help. Sometimes they pray for a friend at school who had their feelings hurt, sometimes they pray for help with a challenge they are facing at school, recently several people we know have died and we've prayed for comfort for their families. I like that it shows the child that they can personalize a prayer and helps them think of others instead of praying for a new bike. My ds (also on the autism spectrum) has a little trouble with this but I think it's good for him to be stretched. I was raised Baptist (each prayer is unique and personal) but I teach at a Lutheran school now (many prayers are memorized and repeated) and I see a benefit to each style.

By Angellew on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 10:04 am:

I was raised Catholic. I consider myself spiritual, but not highly religious. I can't say I go to church, but I did when I was younger.

My DD was baptised and will go to Sunday school and do the whole communion thing. I think I will raise her as I was, but with more open-mindedness than I had. More spiritualism and less blind devotion. But, as I said, with her, I think the easiest thing for her to understand right now is a memorized prayer for her to get better in the habit of doing it. She has made great strides in the speech and we do talk about different people we want to incorporate in the nightly blessing, but it's tough. I'm hoping this will make it a bit easier... like you said, a "cover the basics" and then to the specifics.

By Reds9298 on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 11:50 am:

We don't do a memorized prayer at night, just what we think of that's relative to current events. (example, DH has an infected belly button-I know it's weird - and Nat remembered to pray for Daddy's belly button to feel better)

I always did a standard memorized prayer before meals and at bedtime growing up.

By Angellew on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 12:44 pm:

A prayer for Daddy's belly button!!!! I LOVE IT!

By Bellajoe on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 01:07 pm:

We say the Hail Mary before bed and sometime we say the Our Father.

At the end of every bedtime prayer we say "God Bless mommy, daddy, Isabella and Joey, grandmas and grandpas all our aunts, uncles and cousins amen.
And if someone is ill or about to have surgery, etc we say a prayer for them as well.

I used to add "and all my dollys" at the end of my prayers when I was little.

We've stopped or forgotten to say our prayers before bed for quite a while now. We really should get back into the swing of things!

By Luvn29 on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 08:29 pm:

Angellew, if you notice, all of those verses pretty much mean the same thing, they are just variations. Just pick the one you like best, and teach her that one. I personally used the original with "if I die before I wake" as a child and hated saying that part! I remember feeling like I was saying it was okay if God let me die while I was sleeping, and it wasn't! LOL! So now we use the last one about the angels.

At the end of the prayer, we say our "God Bless..." part.

By Mrsheidi on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 11:29 pm:

Just like Reds, we thank God for things in our lives (Oma, Opa, friends, food) and then we pray for people who are sick, even his friends at school. It kind of mixes it up.
At dinner, we thank God for everyone at the table (by name)as well so when we have company, it's the cutest darned thing to hear him say "Thank you for so and so" who is visiting...it's so personal.