When Your Child Goes Off to School, Pray

This past week, we moved through a milestone that most other families have experienced by the time their children are in middle and high school: sending a child off to school on a bus.

For my child, it was not that big a deal. For me, it was... hard. So hard. Even harder than dropping the same child off at school in the days prior. As I walked away from the bus stop, tears welled in my eyes and prayers in my heart. I prayed the Guardian Angel prayer, as I do every morning, but that morning I did so with far more urgency and emotion:

Angels of God, our guardians dear, to whom God's love commits us here, ever this day be at our side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

Then, I began to pray spontaneous prayers, and, when I sat down at my computer, shared the following prayer that came to me so that friends who are sending their kids off to school might pray it, too. Perhaps you'd like to join us in praying it:

Dear God, please guard the heart, mind, and body of my child today and that of all her peers and those around her. Bring them safely to, through, and from their school. Encourage them to be filled with honor and respect and to be positive influences on one another's character. Protect them physically, emotionally, and spiritually, Lord. Inspire teachers and staff to speak and act in truth and kindness. Move peers to encourage one another and build one another up academically, emotionally, spiritually... Let all of them look to do small thing with great love, be courageous when they need to be, and be filled with peace and joy. Shield their eyes and ears from anything that would lead them into harm’s way or away from faith in You. As you always do, Lord, please use all things together for good. In Jesus' name, we pray. Lord, we trust in you. Amen.

May all school children, teachers, and staff be blessed with grace and mercy.