This year, we’re rounding up some of our favorite bloggers to get their thoughts on faith and family. We asked them: Does your family participate in Lent? If so, what do you do? How do you help your kids understand the importance of sacrifice?

Kimberly of Living in the Sweet Spot:

This year will be the first time we will participate in Lent together as a family. Last year, I personally used the time to cultivate a daily habit of prayer, seek God’s will for my life, and push the boundaries of my faith. Using that experience as a guide, I created a Lenten calendar, similar to an advent calendar, for my kids to count the days and establish their own practice of prayer. Each day will learn a simple principle of prayer and apply it to our lives by praying together using a ‘prayer starter’ provided.

Laura of Raising Soldiers 4 Christ:

Yes, during lent we do a countdown using our wooden Lenten figures. We speak to the kids about the importance of lent and also work some studies in for our homeschool.

 
Tamika of No Time For Tea Parties:

We don’t really celebrate Lent specifically, but we do think it is important for our kids to understand the importance of sacrifice. As Third Culture Kids (kids growing up outside the parents’ homeland), they are accustomed to hearing about and living out sacrifices. We talk to them about the value that every life has. We let them know that we acknowledge the sacrifices that they have made in regards to our work and commitment for everyone to have a Bible and access to one in Eastern Europe. We acknowledge that they miss out on closer interactions with family. We explain that though it may be hard it is a blessing to others for us to give certain things up. We show them pictures of kids like them in Ukraine or Russia getting their very own Bible. And we tell them they helped make it possible.

Wendy of Hip Homeschool Moms:

We have not participated in Lent as a family in past years, but we have talked about it, what it means, and why some people do observe it. I personally usually do give up something for Lent just to remind myself what it means to rely on God rather than myself and to be willing to make sacrifices since God was willing to make such a huge sacrifice for me.

 
Lisa of Chaos Appreciation:

I was not raised participating in Lent. Honestly, until a few years ago, I thought it was something only for Catholics. Now that our youngest is a bit older, I am hoping to start a new tradition in our family.