Those moments at home before you rush your kids off to school are precious. Help your kids start a scripture study habit that will help them feel physcially and spiritually prepared for the day ahead of them.
Mornings can be hectic at our house. Trying to get everyone up on time (including myself) and ready for school is no small feat. But I hated those days that I was rushing around reminding everyone of what to do and scrambling for my keys while yelling, “Hurry and get in the car!” By the time we made it to school we were all in a hurried, anxious rush. I wanted to drop my kids off with a feeling of peace and enough time to properly tell them how much I loved them and to have an amazing day.
We have done different morning systems to help us get organized and had a lot of success with them, but this year I wanted to add something more. I didn’t just want to get them to school on time, I wanted to really fortify them for the day they would have away from our home. So I created a system that includes: personal prayer and scripture study.
These two things don’t need to take a lot of time but they have brought so much peace to our mornings since we started.
The Morning High-Five System
This system is so simple because it helps your kids just focus on 5 things they need to get done every morning. That is a number even your young kids can keep up with. You can choose which 5 things are most important to you, just make sure to add prayer and scripture study so you can help your kids start a scripture study habit that will give them that extra spiritual boost for the day. Here is what we do each morning:
- Make your bed
- Eat breakfast
- Brush your Teeth
- Get dressed
- Prayer and scriptures
Once they finish, they can come give me a high-five.
Grab your free printable below to get started in your home!
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Tips for helping things run smoothly
- Make sure to practice with them a few times until they get the rhythm down. You may need to do it with them the first few times.
- Make sure your kids are getting up early enough to get everything done and even have a few minutes of free time as a reward when they finish. You may need to experiment with this until you find the right time for everyone.
- Create an end time. Let them know what time they need to be done by. Make sure this time gives you enough time to grab backpacks, shoes, lunches, water bottles, and get into the car before school starts. Give them a 5 or even 10-minute reminder before their time is up. Especially if you have kids who can’t tell time yet.
- Don’t forget to create a simple schedule for yourself so you are ready as well!
How do I help my kids with personal scripture study?
Your kids will most likely be in different places with their comfort and skill level of reading and understanding the scriptures. At our house my oldest is reading the Book of Mormon on his own and my younger two are reading the with me. My 7 year old and I trying to finish the Book of Mormon by the time she turns 8 and my younger two and I read one story out of the Old Testament picture book.
Ready Readers:
To help them read on their own, let them know WHY this is an important habit for them to start AND help them understand the blessings it will bring them ( more peace in their day, added help during school, inviting the Holy Ghost into their lives, building a relationship with their Heavenly Father, etc.). I love this quote from ComeUntoChrist.org “Help your children understand that they can find courage, inspiration, and guidance in the scriptures.”
Most important, make sure to let them decide how much to read. The goal is to get them in the habit of reading. Let them make this experience their own as they decide what feels right to them. They can read one verse or 10 pages. Whatever feels good to them! Take the pressure off of how it “needs” to look and just let them enjoy starting a habit on their own.
Continue to praise their efforts each time they do it.
Beginning/ Non-Readers
If your child can’t read, doesn’t feel comfortable yet, or has a hard time understanding the language of the scriptures, you can read with them! You can do the actual scriptures or a picture/illustrated version. Just like with your ready readers, read how ever much feels right or you have time for that morning. Keep it positive with lots of snuggles and helping them get into the stories and pictures.
If you are looking for a way to organize your Come, Follow Me family scripture study ideas, check out our Come, Follow Me Family Study Planner HERE.
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