Back to School

The Fall can feel like a whirlwind of activity! I feel like I can't keep up with the assignments, classes, sports, haircuts, dinner prep, parties, games, meets, appointments, and more. I have to confess I have mixed up more than one scheduled item because things just keep falling through the cracks of my brain.As parents, we can easily see the laundry list of what we need to do to nourish our kids' bodies, hearts, minds, and souls and get completely overwhelmed. I have good news, though: we aren't called to get it all perfect for our kids; we are just called to trust the Lord with our kids. Trust He is with them, preparing them for the many purposes he has for their lives, and he is able to cover our mistakes and forgotten birthday party gifts with his grace.Jesus invites those of us who are weary and burdened to draw closer to him (Matthew 11:28-30). When you start to wonder if you are enough for your kids, if you are making the right choices for them, and try to devise all the ways to protect them, it's time to bring that worry list to the feet of Jesus. He wants to draw you near and help you find him in this season of parenthood.Here are some verses and prayers that invite us to trust God with our families this school year:

He's the one who has given us these gifts, and to forsake Him and His wisdom along the journey would be harmful to our overall development.

As our children go back to school, we throw ourselves into preparations. Instructions from teachers send us scurrying for supplies, including everything from notebooks to calculators to tissues. We shop for new school clothing, shoes, backpacks, and more. For those who don’t buy lunches at school, we stock the pantry with nutritious, easy-to-pack foods. With older students, we analyze class schedules to make sure our kids have the courses they’ll need for their next steps in life.By now, most of us have already posted first-day-of-school pictures on social media. We breathe a sigh of relief as transportation snafus finally resolve. The days fall back into routine after summer’s freedom. But have our preparations been enough?When we send our children to school, we allow others to influence them. We all can remember that special teacher who inspired and motivated us. Most of us also recall others, perhaps a coach or a bully, who devastated our self-image. The content of the curriculum itself shapes young minds and hearts. There’s no doubt our kids will encounter material that is contrary to God’s holiness. Despite our best efforts to shield them from the world, our children’s peers will expose them to all forms of ungodliness. And behind all those primary concerns, we wonder if the recent spate of mass shootings could make its way to our hometown.These transitional days back to school mark a critical need to lay a foundation of prayer for our children. Our best resource for prayer is the Bible because it contains God’s will for us. Meditate on the following verses and ten prayers for the school year. As you pray, include the names of your children to make them personal.Photo credit: ©Getty Images/SkynesherHere Are 10 Prayers for the School Year:

If school hasn't already started, it's coming—fast! And for those of you with small children, you could be embarking on their first day of half-day or full-day Pre-K. Or, as my four-year-old was very insistent, we call it "4-K"— because four years and school is a very grown-up place to be.But how do we prepare our child for Pre-K? And not just the first day, but the first month, the first semester, the first year. What are the challenges? What can we as parents expect to navigate through these next several months? Are there steps we can take throughout the year to help our little ones with the culture shock of the classroom versus the living room?One of the things that we struggle with as parents, especially this first year of school, is that our children will be outside the safety zone of our nest at home. That means they will begin to face the infant-sized trials that will eventually become adult-sized as they age. The stages of being a baby and a toddler are over. We have now entered the era of navigating issues with our children, and that territory can be as new for us as it will be for them.You would hope it would be this way, but unfortunately, your little one will face the newness of a social environment that may not be altogether welcoming. Other children with personalities that collide, attitudes that affect, and behaviors that are unacceptable in your home will be part of your child's everyday life now. The routine from home to school will be markedly different, and while it's not necessarily a negative, it can have a huge emotional impact on the little ones. Their teacher may become their next best safe adult and emotional comforter, or they may feel ostracized and resistant to their teacher. This will be the first time they are being "assessed" by someone other than their parent, and the subtleties of this criticism—even if constructive and pleasant—will begin to shape how they receive instruction and view their personal performance and abilities.And then, there may also be the very real impact of leaving home for three to seven hours. This means no mommy or daddy nearby or no comforting grandparents or caregivers that they've been accustomed to. No. They are entering what to them is a big new universe of alien ideas, strangers, and belongings. Separation anxiety can be a real thing. It may not be an issue the first day or even the first week. You may find that separation becomes a deeper issue the longer the school year progresses and the more the child realizes that this new routine isn't changing anytime soon.So what can we do to prepare our kiddos for Pre-K?

Back in the frontier days, children encouraged their teachers by bringing them apples and other provisions from home. This is because families were often responsible for providing for their local teachers, including housing, food, and other necessities.Nowadays, teachers provide for themselves while also pouring into our children day after day. Without much expectation of anything in return, devoted teachers are committed to instilling knowledge, tools, and resources to help our kids succeed. Because teachers play a vital role in shaping our children's minds, hearts, and characters, I believe it’s extra important for us to encourage and uplift them throughout the school year. Here are some practical ways to support your child’s teacher:

A couple of years ago, I found an old set of Scripture memory cards I’d made for my kids in the early 90s. It was before the internet, so I used my old word processor, some generic clip art, and laminating sheets to make them. Talk about archaic!When I sent these cards to my oldest son, he FaceTimed me to tell me what a blessing it was to receive them. He still remembered the days of memorizing the Proverbs - one for each chapter. And surprisingly, he could still recall many of them! Of course, this warms my heart as a mom, knowing that even 30 years later, God’s truth is planted in his heart (and will now be planted in the hearts of my grandkids).Even though Scripture memory has seemingly gone by the wayside, it’s not too late to implement it in your own family. Here are 9 Proverbs your family can memorize this school year - one for each month!

Praying for our children as they go to school is a wonderful way to seek God's guidance, protection, and blessing over their academic, social, and spiritual journey. Here are 10 types of Christian prayers you can pray for your kids as they head to school.

At the start of every school year, it takes families a while to adjust to new schedules and routines, and it's easy to let prayer and Bible study take a back seat until things level out. So to give you a little encouragement and a boost for the journey, I've compiled five powerful prayers for the start of the school year.

Although it is not possible to entirely eliminate ADD/ADHD behaviors, in the field of special education and nutrition, we have found that there are many ways to make learning and attention easier for a child who is suffering from symptoms of hyperactivity/attention disorder or memory issues. We have found targeted nutrition, midline therapy, and right-brain teaching methods to aid children, teens, and adults in focusing and retaining information more easily.

We are so thankful that You are a Father that sees, hears, and meets the needs of Your beloved children. As the blissful summer days come to a close and we come into another school year, we invite You to be ever-present and walk alongside our children. Please keep them safe and in Your loving care by removing excess stress and anxiety that generally come with the first day of school and replacing it with excitement, anticipation, and an eagerness to learn and grow.

Every summer, starting in July, I pull all the books off the shelf and start reorganizing our baskets for the new year. It's an unhurried process for me. I like to tackle one thing at a time to not let the magnitude of the task of preparing for a new year of learning again and seemingly so soon overwhelm me.I've learned over the years that there is no one-size-fits-all method to prepare your home for a school year. Some of my friends meticulously plan out each week ahead of time. Others attend conferences and curriculum sales to gain inspiration and new content to add to their school day. Some of us wait until the day before we crack open the books once again to ensure we have everything we need to get started. Your method is the best method for your family.Even though the specifics of how you organize your school room or calendar are for you to determine, there are a few things that we all should do in order to prepare for the school year. We each need to take time to seek the Lord as we prepare our homes for our learning routine. Creating a routine for your home is also vital to keep everyone sane on this journey. Here are a few more ways to prepare for your homeschool year:Photo credit: ©GettyImages/NicoElNino

Help me to be a stable, reliable force in these children’s lives. I pray they will feel freedom to learn and grow within the comfort of the boundaries I set for them. And above all, I pray they will know the love of your Son Jesus through me

Here are some heartfelt prayers for you as you start this holy journey. Remember, first and foremost, your job is to be obedient to God's call for your family. Success is secondary.

Have a few others read your application over for mistakes—because we all make mistakes.And when it comes to professionalism, if you're still using that [email protected] email account from the eighth grade, create a new one. Make sure you use the same email every time you contact the school, and check that account often.

Those we engage within the field of education - students, custodians, and the list goes on - need to encounter the presence of God through the outflow of our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.