My Daughter's praying the Rosary!

My seven year old has taken it upon herself to learn the Rosary. This is a bit of a shock for me and also thrilling. I really never imagined that she would actually do this on her own. This is her third year in Atrium and at first, she liked it for the social, "oh I get to play with more kids, yay!" aspect of it. Then when playtime was limited she would complain about going. Everytime, I'd ask her what she's learning, she'd say
" I don't know."
She's a bubbly girl and very smart. Always ahead of her class in school and just loves interacting with other kids. She prefers school to home life. She's super bright but never seemed too interested in the heavy spiritual stuff. Her younger sister who is five is definitely more aware of God and is always asking questions. She likes going to Atrium and will tell me what she learned. My older daughter, on the other hand, was thrilled when we couldn't go to Atrium because of a flat tire.

In my spiritual journal a month or so ago, when I was writing what I believed to be Jesus' message to me. He said my oldest would surprise me and I shouldn't give up on her. She could be faithful to Him but I needed to teach her and her siblings the Our Father and the Rosary. When I went home that day, I started that night. My five year was pretty attentive to it. My oldest knew the Our Father and would make goofy noises and go out of her way to be irreverent.  I'd have to tell her if she didn't stop it, she'd be banned from watching her favorite show "The Kids Next Door."
I'd try to put the fear of God in her but she wasn't moved. I thought to myself, "was that really Jesus talking to me or just wishful thinking?"

Finally I had a 'Aha' moment and decided to get some kid DVDs on Saints. I got some cute cartoon ones about St. Bernadette, St. Francis of Assisi and Fatima. They toned town some of the harsh realities of what these Saints went through but the one on Fatima still accurately portrayed the children being threatened by the government authorities that they would be boiled in oil if they didn't share the secrets of Fatima. My daugther was surprised that children could be arrested and thrown in a prison cell and asked me if that really happened. I said yes, it did and these stories are real unlike the princess movies she has seen in the past. The wheels started turning.

She would see me praying the Rosary and ask what I was doing. I'd tell her and she'd run off back to her usual activity of instigating something with her sister.

Sunday we went to our parish library and ran into a good friend. She showed the kids the freebee basket and they got excited by all the free prayer cards and pamphlets. I knew my younger daughter would appreciate the pictures of Mary and Jesus. She's always asking about different Saints that she sees in the prayer cards we have lying around the house. I didn't expect my oldest to have any further interest in the stuff after she got over the initial thrill of getting something for free.

That night after I put the five year old to bed, I walked into our bedroom to see my oldest lying on the bed with the Rosary pamphlet and my Rosary spread out on the bed spread. She said,

"Look Mom, I'm learning how to pray the Rosary."

I was elated and in some disbelief. I was still skeptical that she would continue. Then Monday she prayed it with her dad. She explained that Tuesday she was going to pray sorrowful mysteries. That was last night and she was very insistent on praying it even though it was late. She said she has to pray it every night.

O.k. don't let me stop you!