New Beginnings
Children are headed back to school! Beginning a new year is a good thing, but can carry more anxiety than we as caregivers realize. Doing a simple ritual at the beginning of the year can help your children know that you recognize that this is a big deal, and that God goes into this new year with them. The following is a ritual we started doing when our children entered preschool. It’s very simple - and easily expanded upon.
Read It
Psalm 121:1-2
I lift up my eyes to the hills--
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
I lift up my eyes to the hills--
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Do It
On the night before your child starts school or the morning of, seat them on a chair or stool in the middle of the room. Gather the rest of the family around them, and lay hands on them. Pray the prayer below, or expand on it, or personalize it for your child. If you have multiple children beginning school on the same day, do this individually, rather than one prayer for all of them.
Pray It
God, we look to you, our source of help and strength. As _________ begins school tomorrow, help him/her know that you are there. Help him/her to adjust to a new teacher, new routines, and new things to learn. Help him/her to be a peacemaker and to show your loving kindness to the other children. Thank you for all the ways he/she will grow and change this year. Bless _________. Amen.
Explore It
