Let it take the form of a talk, an intimate conversation with God, and I promise that it will not be long before you will witness a happy change in your lives.
Left to yourselves, you will always revolve in the same plane, think the same thoughts, and perhaps never find a new habiliment in which to dress them. Therefore, you must frequently renew your wardrobe of ideas. Some one must whisper new sentiments into your ears each day.
from Counsels of Perfection
for Christian Mothers
by
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Counsels of Perfection for Christian Mothers
The parameters: Every day, each child must pick material off our spiritual reading shelf and read for a quarter of an hour, freely taking some of that time to journal, too, if desired.
The carrot: When a child finished a book, he or she can let Mom know. Then, the child can choose a treat (a snack to share or a place to go visit) and we'll have a book chat whle eating or visting.
The stick (for the two who may need it): No child may not turn on a screen until spiritual reading/journaling are completed.
After deciding this, I stacked a shelf with fiction, nonfiction, light, and heacy faith-related reads and let each child pick one.
One of my children picked Ablaze: Stories of Daring Teen Saints, enjoyed it, and, then, moved onto Mother Teresa: Lessons of Love and Secrets of Sanctity.
Another child is reading Catholic Stories for Boys and Girls, because that child cannot remember when we read the stories as a read togther and wanted something super light to start with.
My final child began with The Great Divorce, which I am now reading, too.
Then, that child moved onto A Shepherd in Combat Boots next.
None of these books are of the deep spiritual quality that Reverend P. Lejeune indicated would be best for daily spiritual reading, but all are serving the purpose of building a holy habit in my children and that thrills me.
I pray that the habit of daily personal spiritual reading is ignited in my children and continues throughout their lifetimes.
