5. Train Your Kids to Respect the Time
Some people may not like this, but I’m going to say it anyway. I have a very consistent morning quiet time because I refuse to be deterred by every interruption from my kids. I am training them to recognize that when Mommy is reading her Bible, that means they shouldn’t interrupt. And I do not feel one ounce of guilt about that.
Of course, with little ones, there are true needs that need to be addressed. And this doesn’t mean I ignore them. My two-year-old usually sleeps long enough that he’s not an issue, but when he wakes up early, of course I get him up. But I quickly get him settled with some breakfast and pick up where I left off.
And whenever I have an infant, their needs are obviously addressed right away. (Many mornings, I have read my Bible while nursing a baby or pumping a bottle before work!)
But for my 4-year-old, I have no problems asking him to respect my Bible reading time. I get him started with breakfast, and after he’s finished eating, he knows he is to play on his own while I read my Bible and pray. And when he does interrupt (which still happens daily at this point), I simply tell him I will be happy to listen to him or read to him or play with him or whatever it is he wants after I’m finished, but right now I’m reading my Bible, and that’s important.
Sometimes an inner voice tells me I’m being a bad mom for putting my needs before his wants. (It sounds a lot like the voice of our society that constantly tells us our lives should revolve around our kids.)
But I reject that voice for two reasons:
- As I’ve said, time with God is valuable and essential to me both as a mom and as a woman of God. It doesn’t make me a bad mom — I need it to be a good one.
2. I know Aidan is seeing firsthand the prominence of Scripture in my life. I am teaching him this spiritual discipline both in words and example. Sometimes he even grabs his Beginner’s Bible and sits next to me on the couch to read with me. Those are the days that assure me I’m doing something right.
I’ve heard it said that when Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley (plus eight other children), needed time to pray, she pulled her apron over her head as a sign to the children to give her the space to do so.
I recall that story quite often and, while I don’t usually wear a physical apron, it gives me the courage to wield a metaphorical one. Not only is it necessary for my own sanity, but it sets an example for my kids of our daily need for the Lord’s strength.
So, don’t feel guilty about asking your children to wait while you fill your soul with Scripture. I promise it won’t hurt them, and they will actually learn a valuable lesson in the importance of daily time in the Word.
Daily time in God’s Word is a struggle as moms, especially as moms of little ones. There are so many needs to be met and demands for our attention.
But it is an essential part of our day that connects us to the wisdom, the heart, and the strength of God. So, while it may not be easy, it is, therefore, something that needs to be prioritized and protected. And I hope that these five tips will help you do just that.
Scripture Reading Resources I Love:
- Life Application Study Bible
- She Reads Truth Bible
- Mom’s Devotional Bible
- The Books of the Bible
- One Year Chronological Bible
- Wayfinding Bible
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This piece originally appeared at themerrymomma.com, published with permission.
