Tips and Resources for Helping Your Kids Grow the Fruit of the Spirit
This month we are praying that our kids would display the fruit of the Spirit. If you’re anything like me, I often notice my kids NOT displaying the fruits and it fills me with reactionary anger and fear. I start to wonder if they’ll grow up to be adults that lack love, joy, peace, patience, etc, and I want to give them a condemning but motivational speech to help them change their ways! This never works. I can’t force my kids to display the fruit of the Spirit. I can’t grow it for them or for myself. Only God can! Here are some tips and resources to keep in mind when teaching kids about the Fruit of the Spirit.
Try A Breath Prayer
Since the Holy Spirit is the one who grows the fruit in us and in our kids, try calling on His name the next time you want to react to your kids’ bad behavior! Slowing down to breath and call on God for help reminds me that it is His job to make me and my kids more like Him, it’s not mine!
Breathe in slowly through your nose and say, “Holy Spirit…”
Breathe out slowly through your mouth and say, “Help _______ to be more loving.”
Or, try this one:
Breathe in slowly through your nose and say, “God…”
Breathe out slowly through your mouth and say, “Fill ______ with joy!”
Try it with any of the fruits you want to see more of!
Breathe in slowly through your nose and say, “Father…”
Breathe out slowly through your mouth and say, “Give _____ more peace.”
Pray for yourself or others:
Breathe in slowly through your nose and say, "Holy Spirit…”
Breathe out slowly through your mouth and say, “Help _____ to respond with gentleness.”
Use our Fruit of the Spirit Pocket Prayers
Download these free Fruit of the Spirit Pocket Prayers. Each Fruit of the Spirit card comes with a special blessing to pray over your child. You can print them out and post them anywhere where your child will see it. Included in this free download is a prayer for each of the nine fruits, a prayer for all fruits, a prayer card where kids can circle the fruit they most want God to grow, and a card with Galatians 5:22-23 on it. I am going to put a new one on my fridge each day to pray for!
Catch Your Kids Being Kind
We are praying for more of the Fruit of the Spirit of Kindness in our home! We struggle with this, especially among siblings! These charts really help us remember to talk about kindness and compassion and to catch our kids going above and beyond to be kind! Download this free chart, pick a reward with your child, and start adding stickers or checking off boxes when you catch them being kind.
Add Joy to your Prayer Time
There is room for joy! The Fruit of the Spirit includes JOY! Sometimes we overlook joy especially in regards to prayer and faith formation. But prayer can be fun, unique, silly, and connecting. Check out our book, Raising Prayerful Kids, for 21 joyful and fun ways to pray with your kids.
Read “Fruit Full” by Christie Thomas
We’ve shared about this book before, but it’s worth sharing again as it’s one of our favorite family devotionals. This book has 100 family experiences that help you and your kids understand and grow in the fruit of the Spirit. I love this book because Christie emphasizes that the fruits of the Spirit are not rules or character traits to live by, instead they are evidence of a life filled with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In other words, it’s not about practicing being more loving…we can’t actually do that with our own power. But, when we accept Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are able to love more through God’s love.
Each chapter helps families grow closer to Jesus by sharing a passage of Scripture, a short devotional, and a fun and meaningful discussion starter and prayer time. We have had some incredibly deep and meaningful conversations while reading this book together.
Pick A Fruit to Pray for in Yourself
The most amazing gift that we are given in our parenting and grand parenting is that we are not alone. God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us parent! Read Galatians 5:22-23 and spend a few minutes asking God which fruit He wants to grow more of in you. Spend today asking God to help you with that fruit. Here’s my simple prayer for today. Join me if you want to pray for more gentleness:
Holy Spirit, help me to be gentle as Jesus was gentle. If I raise my voice today, help it only to be to call on your for help or to praise your name! Amen.