Do you daven every day?

Balabroomstick

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 10:27 pm

I have 4 kids under the age of 6. Before kids I davened shacharis and mincha every day. Now I’m lucky if I remember to say morning brachos and it’s been so long I really can’t figure out how to do it anymore. I’m up at 5:30 as it is to get myself ready for work which starts at 8 and all my kids ready and out the door. I feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t daven anymore so I’m wondering if you do it, how old your kids are and how do you make it work?

GoldenEgg

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 10:30 pm

I never daven and I'm not working out of the house.
Its not because of time but rather because I do not have a feeling for it yet.
Sometimes shabbos I have this urge to say nishmas but thats about it.

peekaboo

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 10:35 pm

GoldenEgg wrote:

Same here. Except that I dont even have an urge to say nishmas on shabbos.

So sad.

Balabroomstick

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 10:39 pm

GoldenEgg wrote:

The more I think about the more I see this is also true for me. This is the first year I’m working after being home for 4 years and I can’t say that I was running to daven when I had a quiet moment…I guess I wonder if I don’t inspire myself then will I ever “have a feeling” for it again?

GoldenEgg

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 10:44 pm

Balabroomstick wrote:

I'm not slapping myself for it.
I'm aware of it and thats why I wrote "not yet".... because I hope to one day to have the feeling for it.
Its something deeper and I know nothing will happen if I push myself.

happy7

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 11:56 pm

I daven Shacharis every single day. My youngest is now almost three. My oldests are adults. I have had periods where I was not davening Shacharis other than Shabbos. But I have ALWAYS said morning Brachos and the full Krias Shema Al Hamitah- including the three sections of Shema since I was a young girl and I never lapsed in that.

I put myself back in the habit by starting with 5 minutes. I said Shema. Then I added Shemoneh Esrei. And during Covid, I committed to daily Shacharis (abridged but include parts of pesukei dizimrah, Shema, Shemoneh Esrei, and more).

It is very grounding for me to say words of kedusha.

I would recommend starting with one minute to say Shema until uvisharecha. You might enjoy it.

nursemomma

Tue, Jun 27 2023, 2:13 am

I make sure to daven birchas hashachar and shema before eating anything, that way I know it will happen. Usually in between the older kids and preschool buses. Otherwise, the day runs away…
I also recently added on the yom hachodesh of tehillim when I can after I come home from work (usually end up catching up every 2-3 days).
I have had times where I hardly davened, but adding it into my routine has really helped me develop a feeling toward tefillah. I started slowly, with only BH and then added on from there.
OP, if you’re going to start, definitely start slow.

SuperWify

Tue, Jun 27 2023, 2:35 am

I’ve stopped once I had kids but I really tried to say brachos and almost always forgot. Then my friend mentioned off hand how she won’t eat before brachos and it was such a simple fix in my mind. Since then BH I almost always remember.

I try to Daven on Shabbos morning a full davening.

SG18

Tue, Jun 27 2023, 4:20 am

I don't say organized prayer from a siddur. I say Netilat Yadayim when I wash my hands, Asher Yatzar at least once a day, and Shema before bed nightly. I speak to God throughout the day in my own words, as well.

heidi

Tue, Jun 27 2023, 6:02 am

I did every single day for 20 years. I made a deal with G-d when I was in labor with my kid. Said kid announced yesterday that he's not frum anymore. I didn't daven this morning. My tefillot don't work. Not for frum kids, not for shidduchim for my kids. G-d is obviously busy listening to the tefillot of bigger tzaddikim than I.

SG18

Tue, Jun 27 2023, 7:45 am

Sending so much love. I can't imagine what you're going through, how you must feel like HaShem betrayed your relationship. When you feel ready, I would recommend trying to communicate how you feel in your own words.

(Similar to the OP who feels betrayed by her therapist.)

PinkFridge

Tue, Jun 27 2023, 8:52 am

Yes. I spend about half an hour every morning on Shacharis.
You think I did that when my kids were younger? And there are times when I've helped relatives that I couldn't daven fully either.

I just realized, it's not anon-enabled.

AlwaysGrateful

Tue, Jun 27 2023, 9:19 am

Birkas hashachar and shema (all of it) every morning. Except for some days when I'm early postpartum or very sick or something. I say it before I eat (except soon after having a baby or if I really need to eat right away when pregnant) so I don't forget.

I got out of the habit after having one of my kids when it really wasn't possible. During COVID lockdown I took it on again as an extra zchus. I wasn't feeling it at all, but once I started I've found times when I feel it more and times when I feel it less. I think I wouldn't have been able to "catch" those times if I was out of the habit.

OOTforlife

Tue, Jun 27 2023, 9:49 am

More people may feel comfortable responding to this if they can be anonymous. This forum doesn't allow anon posts.

I do brachos and shema every morning now, and shemoneh esreh almost every morning. Shabbos day I usually daven shacharis and mussaf. It wasn't always like this though, I worked up to it.

ImStrong

Tue, Jun 27 2023, 9:57 am

I cant bring myself to daven with a siddur, I talk to hashem throughout the day and try saying tehillim when I can. Recently I started putting myself in the habit of saying modeh ani right when I wake up and birchas hashachar before I eat. I still forget pretty often but I try and its a step up from what I used to do.

honey36

Tue, Jun 27 2023, 10:07 am

Yes, I daven shachris every day from a siddur for approx 10-15 minutes. Sometimes I have to hold the baby while davening, or sit instead of standing, or take a break to help an older child with something etc. But so what? Better than not davening at all.