Here's a sample practical framework for your day. Check out some other ways below to incorporate time with Jesus into your family life.

At Breakfast

Example 1

We pray every night at the dinner table and seek to have intentional conversations, but the real intentional spiritual meat happens on Saturday mornings. I make pancakes for the family and we have a devotional and conversation around Scripture and our family mission and values.

Example 2

Monday: We ask where we did well that weekend and where can we improve as children of God.
Tuesday: We do a short devotion and ask the kids if they want to pray.
Wednesday: Same as Tuesday.
Thursday: Kids choose their favorite verse from their week and we close with our family verse and pray.
Friday: Same as Tuesday and Wednesday.

Example 3

We read a devotional every morning and at bedtime tailored to preschool kids. We then pray and ask God to teach us about what we've just read. Before we leave for work or for the day, we all take turns sharing a prayer request and pray for each other. While in the car, we listen to a selection of "Jesus music" such as Veggie Tales, Hidden in My Heart (Bible verses to music,) or something I pick. We are training our kids to engage with God before doing every day things in hopes that they can't start their day without pausing to read their devotional or eat without praying because those things just go together.

At Dinner

Check it out!

A resource for being intentional during your dinner time as a family: www.thefamilydinnerproject.org.

Example 1

We eat dinner together at least four nights a week. During this time, we ask questions like: what is something you are excited about? What is something you are anxious about? How have you seen God at work?

Example 2

One of the kids pray for dinner and thank the Lord for His many blessings. Storytelling time is opened up (fun, crazy or cool stories welcome!) We also use TableTopics, which are questions especially designed to engage kids in the art of conversation.

Example 3

We have dinner and then devotions or Bible time. We often spend time sharing what we are thankful for and any struggles we may have had that day. We talk about the story or devotion that related to our life currently. Then we go over our family verse and mission and wrap up with a prayer.

At Bedtime

Example 1

Before bed, we practice meeting with God and encouraging one another. This is done through three options. The kids get to choose which.
1) Bible story - Read a story out of the children's Bible and talk about it.
2) Pray for one another - We share prayer requests and the kids pray for one another.
3) Pray for others - We share someone we want to pray for and when we pray for them together.
We then pray a prayer of blessing over the kids.

Example 2

We ask two questions at nap time or bed time:
1) What do you want to thank Jesus for today?(We sometimes say, what was the best or your favorite part of the day?)
2) What do you want to ask Jesus for? (Who needs prayer? What happened that you didn't like and you want Jesus present in? What do you want to dream about? etc.)