Do you daven every day?

Balabroomstick ↓

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 7:27 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, 7:30 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, 7:35 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, 7:39 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, 7:44 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.

simcha12plus

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 8:56 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

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 11:13 pm

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

Mon, Jun 26 2023, 11:35 pm

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, 1:20 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, 3:02 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, 4:45 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, 5:52 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, 6:19 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, 6:49 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, 6:57 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, 7:07 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.