Consecration With Kids: Tips and Tricks

*This is the post I meant to write yesterday but instead I went to bed early, following my friend Fatima's advice

Thirty three days is a long time to commit to anything in the mind of a child (and maybe some adults).  It is especially long if it doesn't involve presents and candy at the end. So when my oldest child, ten years old at the time, said he wants to be consecrated when I renew mine I was ecstatic. He saw Fr. Michael Gaitley's book at a Lighthouse Media stall in church and that's how his interest started. I talked a bit about the process, my own consecration, the format of Fr. Gaitley's book (vs. the one I used) etc and he said he really, really wants to do it. Knowing his temperament I knew it is something he can do.

Fast forward to the following year, the middle child, then 7-year-old asked if he could have Fr. Gaitley's book as a present. Then shortly after that he asked if he was old enough to be consecrated. I told him maybe when he is ten.  But then every so often he would come back to me asking if I changed my mind about the age when he can be consecrated, persistent little thing!  I should add that my kids sat through my oldest son's consecration preparation so they were already familiar with the format and the readings. I knew the child's interest wasn't out of curiosity but a real desire.  So I finally surprised him one day and told him that on my next renewal he will prepare with me.  The look in his face was radiant, Christmas morning delight magnified a million times.  

The second child, always the hold off, took awhile to get on board. This is a devotion I wanted my children to choose for themselves so I don't bring it up or insist for them to do it.  She finally asked to be consecrated one year on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 

There were days that are so hectic we barely get the opportunity to get a reading in. I do not stress out about those days.  We either just read double the following day or let them read by themselves. It is devotion, not penance. One valuable advice that Fr. Blau gave the year I did it with a group is to not be too scrupulous about the readings because in the course of time, with regular renewals we will have read the whole book.  So I say the same to the kids. So far we have not missed any readings but my kids know that they are free not to stress out about missing a day of readings.  Mary knows our heart.  God knows our heart.

Consecration day is always a big deal.  School is out for the day, we go out for breakfast after Mass and we make a big to-do about it.  We follow the usual advice of going to the Sacrament of Penance, a corporal work of mercy and the kids light a candle at church.  I gently remind them to always be united with Mary in prayer and not just tell her "see you next year!" after Consecration day. 

I hope this post if helpful to those of you who are planning to be consecrated as a family.

middle child on his Consecration day last year