One activity that truly helps to build family bonds is family prayer. There is something special about families gathering together in prayer on a regular basis. It helps to teach children about praying for others, and a true reverence for our Heavenly Father. There is also a close bond formed between people that pray for each other. This bond is the pure love that is hard to achieve in any relationship.
Gathering the family together each day to pray can be a difficult task, especially when you have teenagers. It can seem like everyone is on a different time schedule and figuring out a time to pray may seem pretty difficult. Family prayer does not need to be a very long process. It can take just five minutes to gather and pray. Some solutions that may help include waking everyone up ten minutes before the first family member is scheduled to leave. This works if you have children in seminary.
It is easier to establish habits the earlier on in life you attempt them. Although it may be difficult to have your two-year-old kneel down, and listen reverently to a prayer. It is worth it. As your child grows older he will realize the value that you put on prayer, and as he begins to do so, he can apply the power of prayer to his own life.
Another aspect to add to family prayer is family scripture study. It is easy to add reading a chapter or two from the scriptures each day with your family. As you add scripture study, remember to allow time for discussion and questions about the scriptures that your children might have. Scripture study might work best in the evening when your family is not in a rush to begin the day.
I have felt the power of family prayer in my life, and I know that it can help bring a spirit of peace and love to your home as well. As you pray for your children, in a setting that they can hear, they feel your love. It can help to soften hearts, and strengthen the bonds that matter most.