My 4 year old has begun resisting bedtime prayers

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At his age, he doesn’t understand why prayers are important. He’ll grow out of it, just like I did. If there’s a good Catholic preschool nearby, you may want to sign him up for it. Otherwise, teach him why it’s important to pray and lead by example.
 
I agree that prayers should just be a normal part of bedtime routine, like putting on pajamas, brushing teeth, praying, get tucked in, lights out.

If he’s resisting other things, it could be a normal test-the-limits that kids do, seeing if he can get out of doing stuff parent tells him to do. And the answer is just to be firm and consistent, “this is what we do before bed, so we’re going to do it.”

If it’s just prayers he’s objecting to and nothing else, I would ask him why he doesn’t want to pray. He may very well say something like “this crucifix, statue, prayer is scary” or “I’m tired” and you can take appropriate steps. Also, if the prayers you’re saying are too long or complicated, that could be a turn-off. One Hail Mary or a “Jesus, thank you for this day, and bless Mom and Dad and (brother, friend, dog etc) and help me be a good boy” is probably enough. I once heard a Protestant mom bedtime- praying with her children when they were on a camping trip, granted the kid was a bit older than 4 but the prayer just seemed to go on for a half hour and kids have a short attention span.
 
Mary888 said:
Sometimes religious depictions may look scary even to grownups.
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Yes, we had a lot of family stories about adults in the family who were scared by one or another statue. Kids’ minds are also not logical. At age 4 I was afraid of a miniscule paint chip on the wall because it looked like a scary man’s face to me. It is like one quarter inch big but I still managed to work up enough nerves over it that I would cover it with my thumb.
 
It may be my background but I still don’t like a lot of statues. I really like Romero crosses though. OP this might be a good way to go as they are colourful but get the message across . Lots of different designs plus proceeds go to local communities who make them (Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.) (Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
I would simply try to integrate his prayers into his daily routine and not ‘force’ the issue at bedtime.
 
I think it’s a personal taste thing. I didn’t like those as a child because they didn’t look pretty or realistic enough. The one on the bottom right would have scared me as it looks to me like Jesus has two faces.

The Jesus picture I had for my room as a kid was a Good Shepherd with a “pretty Jesus” and a whole flock of sheep and holding a lamb. I loved animals so I thought that was great. I did not have a crucifix in my room and my parents had only one in the house (apart from the little silver ones hanging on rosaries) and it wasn’t bloody, the Jesus was bronze and hung on blonde wood. Mom generally didn’t like gory religious objects and didn’t think young children should see gory anything.
 
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I remember being obsessed with my late grandmas rosary in the jewellery box as a kid. I can’t remember if I kept it - I think it has been lost but I still remember my mother saying it was a catholic thing and also about the holy water on grandmas shelf that was so old it had gone green! I totally get you about the face in the wallpaper. We can do easily build up things as children to the point where they can still affect us years later.
 
I pray the Lord’s Prayer together with my grandson aloud. He’s proud that he knows it by heart, and when we heard it said at Mass, he paid close attention.
It’s pretty short so not an ordeal, just something we do after teeth brushing and story time.
 
He resists other things too. Sometimes when I ask him to pick something up or get something from another room for me he will tell me he is too scared. I think it’s just an excuse most of the time. A few times he is genuinely scared and then I go with him though.
 
Colton loves holy water. He always tries to bless himself with it at church and sometimes he tries to bless himself with it here at home too. It’s quite adorable. He doesn’t yet know how to make the Sign of the Cross though. I’m trying to teach him though.
 
The only icon in my room was that of St. John the Baptist engraved in silver and because it was shiny and very high on the wall I never noticed he was holding his own head. That type of icon of his still troubles me as a grownup now that I notice it.
 
There are four corners to my bed
There are four angels overhead
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
God bless the bed I lie upon.

Gospel authors, angelology, supplication and geometry all in one 10-15 second prayer.
 
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Unfortunately, we can’t really afford a private school. I’m disabled and his daddy is poor too. His daddy and I are getting married next May. Anyway, he is in Head Start which is free to us because we are low income. I’m hoping that when we move to a bigger town in the next year or two we can put him in a Catholic elementary school. I know that they have voucher programs in my state which you can use to help put your child in a private school. The town we are planning on moving to does have a Catholic school. In the area we live in now, there are no Catholic schools unless you drive at least 30 minutes away.
 
Prayers then maybe a story. The faith has to be caught. It is like dessert. Do the work then dessert. Ease him into it.

Ted
 
As I said, lead by example. I should hope that you are not having relations with the boy’s father, nor even sleeping in the same room as him between now and the wedding, for all of your sakes. Avail yourself of the sacraments and sanctify your household.
 
So what do you think? He’s possessed?

Maybe he just doesn’t want to go to bed? Or, conversely, maybe he’s sleepy, cranky and doesn’t have the energy to focus?
 
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