Improving Family Rosary

[MarcPekny]

Good evening & Merry Christmas to everyone!

We have been doing a decade a night (most nights) as a family (there are 5 of us) for the past year or so. We do this usually before we put our girls to bed. It seems like I’m pulling teeth to get my 4 year old daughter to participate (pray along consistently, sit up straight, etc.)

I have looked at some other posts and it seems like some ideas that came up to help the devotion are these:

1. 
   *]Dim Lights & use candles
   *]Burn Incense
   *]Set up prayer corner/table
   *]Move place of prayer periodically
   
   I have also thought about praying before or right after dinner when they’re a little more awake. I am also thinking of buying a larger statue of Our Lady (18" or so). Any other ideas? Am I asking too much of a 4 year old?
   
   Pax,
   Marc

 

[JMJ_Theresa]

My four year old barely makes it through grace. But, he is a little immature. If I gave him a piece of candy for each bead… He would have lots of candy!! He’d love rosary time, that’s for sure.

How about coloring a rosary coloring book quietly while you pray?

 

[Nance]

Marc…how beautiful for you and your family to pray the rosary…if I may a 4 yr old isn’t going to beable to sit too long and behave as perfect as a statue!

Just praying the rosary will bare fruit beyond your imaginations in those beloved children, your 4 yr old can sit with a story book (rosary connection with pictures) while your praying…our daughter from infanthood would be in my arms and it wasn’t until she was 3 began to kneel with us with a plastic rosary of her own and she would mimic us until she reached 5, by then she would interrupt me and ask where on the rosary we were…gosh when I recall this it puts a smile on my face
all we insisted on from the little ones was too remain quiet as much as can be expected
the rest will come in time believe me…our daughter is now 12 and often leads the rosary. The last thing you want is to turn this into a dreaded time…Our lady would be patient and loving, and remember these years will be cherished, so relax and make it fun for her ( a spiritual time to be with mom and dad )
Hope that helps
Peace