Ideas For My Pocket: a Support Group for Families: The Power of a Mother's Prayers

So I was talking to my sister about a parenting dilemma one time, struggling to figure out what to do. Her answer to me was to pray about it. “Heavenly Father answers a mother’s prayers for her children” she insisted adamantly and with conviction. Her comment struck me. It is simple, yet profound. Of course He wants to help us in this work of raising souls unto Him!

Families’ Experiences:

1. A Mother’s prayers about her kids.

My toddler Missy was way too attached to her bottle. She drank from a cup just fine, but wanted that bottle. It was starting to be a problem in her life, but I couldn’t figure out how to take it away from her. I didn’t want it to be a power struggle. Nothing I had tried had worked, and nothing I thought of seemed right, and things were growing worse.

So, I made it a matter of prayer. Then, a new idea came. I got a box. Missy and I together put every bottle in the house into the box. “Bye, bye, bottles!” we both said, and put the box way up high in the closet. Missy was perfectly fine with this little game we were playing. Then, at naptime, she asked for her “Ba Ba!” “Remember,” I told her, “the ba ba’s are all gone. We told them goodbye,” and I pointed up in the closet. She remembered and cried a little, but settled down without it. Maybe one or two more times she did the same, and after that, the problem was solved! No more bottles!

For me, it was a proof that the Lord cared about my concerns, and He would help me to raise my children. He would answer my problems through the Holy Ghost, if I had the faith to ask, no matter how insignificant they were in the eternal realm.

Sadie was having a hard time since her baby would not sleep! She would drag the whole next day, trying to care for her two little kids. One night, she prayed about whether to let the baby cry. She felt like it would be okay. Later, in the process, she prayed again, and again felt it was okay to continue sleep training her. It was good to have that comfort from the Spirit, since it is hard to hear a baby cry. Soon, this baby was sleeping well. Later on, her older child began to have trouble at night. She was scared at night and stressed that she couldn’t go to sleep quickly. Sadie was firm at first: no, the rule is to sleep in your own bed; but after prayer, she felt she needed to help her little girl get through this. She let her sleep on the floor in their room. After a few days, all on her own, the little girl decided she was ready to go back to sleep in her own room. Sadie was so grateful for the direction through prayer!

Sybil had just promised her kids “no more shots for five years!” when the nurse told her about a new shot for Hepatitis, that required not one, but two shots each, 6 months apart! Sybil was ready to keep her promise to her kids and just not get this new one—after all, it was brand new so maybe not proven safe yet, and besides, it hadn’t been necessary for her older kids! But when she offered a quick prayer about it, the Spirit prompted her to go ahead! She explained the prompting to her kids as best she could, urged them to have courage, and went forward with them, trusting in the prompting she had received. And later on when it was time for missions, the hepatitis shot was required. At that point, it would have been too late to get them both—six months apart! Sybil was so grateful for that prayer and the guidance she had received from the Spirit!

I have thought of my sister’s words many times and have gained my own testimony that there is nothing too little to bring to the Lord, and He will send ideas and help. I have also noticed that the Lord doesn't require me to be perfect before I ask! But He does ask me to acknowledge my weaknesses before Him and to be diligently trying to do better. He is willing and waiting to answer and help.

2. A mother’s prayers for her children.

In Junior High, Don had a bully threaten to beat him up after school. His mother felt uneasy that day, and had been praying for him. Remarkably, just as the group gathered to do the deed, a police car drove by, the crowd dissolved, and the incident was forgotten! Don knew it was his mother’s prayers for him!

Rob’s mother had felt impressed to pray for her kids’ safety that day to and from school, when Rob was struck by a car on his bike the way home from school. Amazingly, he had only minor injuries and a couple of baby teeth knocked out!

Tanya and Tim were T-boned as they drove to high school one morning. Once again, a mother had been praying for their safety, and the oncoming car hit in front of them then swung around the car and hit again behind them—missing the area of the front bench where the two kids were seated!

3. A mother teaching prayer

Once a new mom-to-be asked me when to start teaching a baby to pray. I urged her to “train up a child in the way he should go” by praying with him from Day 1. Part of a baby’s nighttime routine can be to take him in your arms and pray with him and for him. Gradually, the baby will be able to kneel by you, but that is not when you have to begin. Much, much earlier, a baby can learn the words of prayer and feel the reverence that goes with it as you are voice to his words of prayer. This way, there never has to be a transition, he has always prayed!

4. A mother prayers can influence.

“Mom, will you pray about it?”

“Mom, I have a hard decision to make. Will you pray with me?”

“Mom, I am not sure about this party. Will you pray and see if you feel okay about it?”

A mother that has turned to prayer throughout her child’s life will become a powerful influence in his life’s decisions. Of course we want our kids to gradually make more and more of their own choices, but in the meantime, we can help them with hard decisions by praying along with them separately or together. Our kids will come to trust our answers as truly from God, and give them that kind of respect if we are working to truly live a life in tune with God’s will. God bless us mothers as we try our best to include Him in the tricky rearing of our child all the way through.

NOTE: Even as I address a mother’s special role, I know of course that Fathers too are entitled to inspiration in their guidance and care of children. They too can teach prayer. As can Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles, even babysitters. Please apply these principles where needed.