Habits of a Child's Heart: Raising Your Kids with the Spiritual Disciplines

by Valerie E. Hess

Teach your children the basics of the spiritual disciplines. Broken down into bite-sized, age-specific exercises, the foundations of the Christian life will become lifetime habits. Practice the spiritual disciplines as a family

Genres: Parenting, Childrens, Spirituality

208 pages, Paperback

First published February 26, 2004

Reviews

[Andrew Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book is a good overview of the 12 Christian spiritual disciplines with an eye towards encouraging your children in these areas. There are 12 chapters divided up into respective disciplines with an introduction to the topic, stories to illustrate it, how you can apply it in your own life, and ideas for implementing it in your family’s regular rhythms with the goal of facilitating your child’s spiritual growth. At the end of each chapter, there are several suggestions relevant to various age groups and how to help children apply that discipline. For those familiar with Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, much of the book is modeled on his framework.

All of the disciplines inter relate as illustrated in a chart at the back of the book and can be pursued individually or collectively. There are lots of practical ideas shared throughout the book to encourage a vibrant spiritual life.

While my child is not yet at the youngest age bracket listed in the book, when we get there I can see how the book could be a good reference tool.

The book was released 20 years ago and could probably use an update to be more current with the changes in the world, technology, and what family life looks like today. It’s likely the season of life we’re currently in but implementing all of the ideas seemed a bit overwhelming given the time and energy demands of toddlerhood.

Overall, the book was a good start on understanding the spiritual disciplines and how to train your children in them.

[Sarah Gautam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. An unusually good companion to your spirituality as an elder. Inspired by this book, I have also written a blog on Spiritual Habits. You must also read my blog, it is very interesting Visit Here

[Kelly Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for every parent

[Miraclebrooke t · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical, age-appropriate ideas for teaching spiritual disciplines to kids. *And let's face it, to ourselves.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Habits of a Child’s Heart, Valerie Hess and Marti Garlett present a very accessible retelling of Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline. They take each discipline that Foster covers in Celebration of Discipline one at a time. They give an overview of the discipline, providing stories from their own experiences with the discipline. Then they give the parent suggestions for practicing the discipline. The practices are very practical and often geared toward the challenges faced by parents. The authors then give age specific suggestions as to how children could practice each discipline. They offer three categories, young children (5-7), middle childhood (8-11) and adolescence (12-15).

Present in this outstanding work is the assumption that the disciplined life is accessible even to children. The goal of the disciplines is not simply character development or building a Christian worldview. Rather it is building of experiences with God through God’s grace. Experiences like these are the stuff of spiritual direction. Fathers Barry and Connolly point out in their book, The Practice of Spiritual Direction, that with out such experiences there can be no direction. The spiritual director is primarily concerned with the experiences the directee is having with the Spirit. Parents have a great resource in the Habits of a Child’s Heart for offering places where children can experience grace moving on them.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book presents twelve spiritual disciplines, gives an overview of each one, then gives practical ways to incorporate it into your life as an adult, and how to help your children (in their various ages and stages) to participate in the discipline. The twelve disciplines presented are:

1. meditation
2. prayer
3. fasting
4. study
5. simplicity
6. solitude
7. submission
8. service
9. confession
10. worship
11. guidance
12. celebration

This book is great — practical and informative. I want to take note of a prayer I especially appreciated in chapter two:

O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace.
Help me in all things to rely on your holy will.
In every hour of the day reveal your will to me.
Bless my dealings with all who surround me.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul
and with the firm conviction that your will governs all.
In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings.
In unforeseen events let me not forget that all are sent by you.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely,
without embittering and embarrassing others.
Give me strength to bear the fatigue of this coming day
with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will, teach me to pray, pray you yourself in me.
Amen.

[Czarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding book about helping to teach kids basic spiritual disciplines, such as meditation, simplicity, celebration, prayer, and many others. Gives wonderful suggestions and activities for preschoolers, school age kids, and teenagers. I'm going to purchase it to use as a reference. Highly recommend it!

[Lynette · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Prayer is not a free-will offering to God; it is an obligatory service, something God requires… God requires that we take time for this service.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer (quoted on page 36)