Daily Habits to Create a Christ-Centered Home

It can often seem daunting as a parent to protect our children from the world and raise our families with a focus on Christ. The days can often get away from us as we focus on school, work, household needs and other daily tasks that require so much of our time. One way to fortify your family is with a few regular habits that will keep your home focused on the Savior.

Family Prayer

Make it a habit each day to pray as a family. This prayer should be in addition to blessing meals since those prayers can sometimes be rushed to keep the food warm and fill hungry bellies. Take turns praying together to teach your children how to speak to their Heavenly Father. Also, it is such a wonderful thing for children to hear their parents praying for their well-being, peace and protection. The saying goes and holds true to this day, “The family that prays together, stays together.” Daily family prayer should be the first step in creating a Christ-centered home.

Scripture Study

Studying scriptures together as a family and individually is an incredible way to focus your family on the Savior. In an ever changing world, it brings an incredible amount of strength and peace to read often the word of God which is constant and never changes. Also, it will instill in your children a love of the scriptures as you read together the stories taught there.

Speak Kind Words to Each Other

There are few things that drive the spirit from a home faster than contention. Even in disagreement, speak kindly to one another. Make it a habit to keep a low voice tone during disagreements and to use kindness in all circumstances. Make sure that your children see you and your spouse speaking kindly to one another. And as the scriptures teach us, when there is a need to correct a child’s behavior, do so in private and in a loving and gentle way.

Family Time

Children spell love T-I-M-E. Make time to spend with your family. Try to find time each week for personal one on one time with each child. Spend that time playing and talking to your children to get to know the person that they are and the desires of their hearts. Find one week night of each week to make a family night that is spent together playing games and talking to one another. Try to make dinner time around the table a regular weekly habit when possible. There is nothing more valuable to a child than to spend time with them. And as you spend time with your children you can develop deeper and more trusting relationships that will help to create a Christ-centered environment in your home.

Filter What Comes In

There are so many evil things in this world lurking just beyond a TV screen waiting to get into our homes. It is your responsibility as a parent to filter what comes into your home. Make sure you are closely monitoring the television programs, internet sites and video games that your children are exposed to. Teach them the importance of only watching uplifting media and what to do if they are exposed to questionable programming when not at home. Allowing only wholesome and uplifting media to enter your home is a great way to ensure it is peaceful and Christ-centered.

Fortify Yourself

Make sure that you are taking time each day to sharpen your own spiritual saw. Spend a few minutes each morning in prayer and meditation. Take time each day to study the scriptures and to fortify your own testimony. As the matriarch and patriarch of the home, you are ground zero for the type of environment that your family lives in. Make sure to spend some of your time and focus on yourself and your own peace and well-being to make sure you have what it takes to create peace for others. Lean towards Christ and His examples as you make decisions on how to raise your family and how to direct your household to ensure a loving and Christ-centered home.