October, the Month of Mary
What is the best age to learn the Rosary? I don't really know the answer to that question, but I would just like to share a few of my experiences with my own children when they were very young. My children grew up knowing that every night I spent time praying the Rosary. I never had to teach them how to pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary, or The Glory Be. They had heard these prayers so many times that one day I would just hear them join in. Sometimes, after putting them to bed and saying prayers with them, they would complain they were not tired and they weren't ready for bed. (Of course, I was usually tired and more than ready for them to go to bed.) So I would say, "Ok if you want to stay up and say the Rosary with me you can." So together we would begin saying the Rosary. But more often then not, I found that after a couple of mysteries, my children would nod off to sleep and I would finish the Rosary by myself. There is something very peaceful and calming that occurs with the Rosary. I loved knowing they fell asleep thinking about Jesus.
At other times, I liked to pray the Rosary after dinner and I would leave the kids with my husband and go to my room and close the door. One by one they would find me. Sometimes they would just sit on my bed and play. I would ask my husband, "Can't you just watch them for a few minutes so I can pray by myself?" He would just shake his head. "No, for some reason I can't keep them away while you are praying. They want to be with you." Although I longed to have my alone time to pray, I couldn't really get mad. My kids just wanted to spend time with their mother, and really, isn't that the essence of the Rosary-just spending time with your Mother? As most parents discover, kids don't always do what you say, they tend to do what you do. And with that being said, I hope Mary will always have a special place in the lives of my children.
-Susan
