Daily Back to School Prayers for the New Generation

It’s that time of year again! The aisles at Walmart and Target are overflowing with neon bright sticky notes and whatever Gen Alpha calls trapper keepers these days, everything seems to smell like scotch tape, and your little ones are panicking about picking out the perfect outfit for their first day back at school. It almost doesn’t seem possible that you’re already here, saying goodbye to another summer. You make a mental note of how many summers you have left before they’re grown and gone, and suddenly you’re overwhelmed with the memory of all their first days. It’s so bittersweet, watching our adorable little children grow up a little more year after year.

You praise God for the gift of motherhood, because in this quiet moment as you watch your kids prepare for their big day, you forget the messes, the tears, the sleepless nights – and all you can feel is love and gratitude for these precious gifts God has given you and the work he has called you to do. This is such a short time that you have with them and it is flying by you at 400 MPH but it is so very sacred and you don’t want to miss a moment.

This year is going to be a good one. The best one yet. It’s going to be great because we’re starting it off with prayer, with our trust in God to provide for us and lead our children’s steps, every day. This will be the year our kiddo makes a really special friend; the year they discover how to be persistent and to work hard at solving problems; the year they learn how to ignore and overcome peer pressure; the year they learn to use their voice.

Whether they are in homeschool, public school, or private school, one of the best things we can do for our sons and daughters is to pray over them. Here is a photo of my daughter, years ago, on her first day of preschool – I remember praying fervently in the car on the ride to school that she wouldn’t be too scared, that she would feel loved, that she would make good friends. She’s in middle school now and I still pray for her each morning and ask for many of the same things!

To get you started, here are 5 weekday prayers you can use, one for each school day of the week, to pray over your children as they prepare for a new day, ripe with new challenges and opportunities. Be sure to continue reading afterward because I’ve added many specific prayers you can use in a wide variety of circumstances!

Monday School Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

I praise you and I give thanks for the life you have given me. Thank you God for this new day, this new week, bright and full of fresh possibilities. O Lord, guide my child’s steps today and direct their path, setting before them good influences, healthy opportunities and adventures. Send your angels to protect them, to shield them from all who would do them harm. Be with them in their anxiousness as they encounter new people and new situations, calming their hearts. When they doubt their abilities, put this thought immediately in their minds: “Remember whose child you are.”

As Moses wrote:

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 31:8

May they see you before them, leading them toward righteousness and peace and love and may they put their trust in you as they face challenges throughout their day. May they develop the kind of study habits that will enable them to be studious and steadfast learners.

Let no harm come to them, bring them home safely to me after a joy-filled day of learning. I praise you Lord and thank you for your love, forgiveness, and grace. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

Tuesday School Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today is the day that you have made. I pray that it is filled with hope and wonder, love and joy for my children. May they have renewed confidence; may they come to know their own strengths. Remind them their identity doesn’t come from their brand of sneakers or the grade on their papers – their identity is rooted in Christ. Show them opportunities to be grow in their love for the Lord and to be more Christ-like. As they participate in lessons and school activities, guard their hearts and minds and direct their steps. May each step be taken in the shadow of the almighty, guarded and protected by your love, God.

Note: If your child is struggling with confidence, I highly recommend watching this music video with them for a song titled “Confidence” by Christian group Sanctus Real. It’s a powerful video with a message about finding our confidence in the Lord.

Wednesday School Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank you for this new day, full of hope and renewed possibilities. I pray that my children seek you with their whole heart, that they notice your presence and your good work in their small, happy moments and in their most difficult moments today. Give them a sound mind, able to discern truth and goodness from lies and evil.

Fill my children with your light and love. Allow them to see everyone they encounter at school today, from the janitorial staff to the gym teacher to the Principal, the way Jesus would see them. Help them to see new ways they can let your light shine through them, illuminating a path for others to you, our Glorious Father.

Let no harm come to them, and bring them home safely to me after a joy-filled day of learning. I praise you Lord and thank you for your love, forgiveness, and grace. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

Thursday School Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for all the gifts you have blessed me with, especially my children. As they go off to school today help them to develop relationships with loyal friends who are of sound mind and who love and pursue you fiercely. May their school experience be a positive one that lays a foundation for a lifetime of learning and curiosity and intellectual pursuits.

As the children go through their day, from math class to gym to lunch, may they have the peace of God with them. May they know how much they are loved and how precious they are. Let all they do, from new adventures to mundane tasks, be to the Glory of God, who knit them together in their mother’s womb. Let them praise you and rejoice in your good works.

Friday School Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for carrying us gently and safely through this week and guiding my children through all the experiences that have shaped them in beautiful ways.

As we give thanks for a week well-lived, I come to you with a humble heart and I praise you Lord for all the ways, seen and unseen, that you have looked out for my family. May today be filled with joy, peace, and fun as my children prepare for their weekend at home. I ask that they listen to the holy spirit that dwells within them as they make choices throughout their day.

Short and Specific School Prayers

Sometimes you need something short and sweet that you can memorize and pray on the go, especially on those mornings when you’re racing out the door to get your kid in the car or on the bus. Or maybe you’re having a particularly intense day homeschooling and you need a brief prayer in between transitions with your toddlers. Maybe your high school kid is testing your patience in new, creative ways and you need a prayer to mutter under your breath before you say something you would regret. Below are some specific prayers that can get you through!

In the meantime, if you’re feeling stressed and your goals are repeatedly eluding you, I recommend reading my post on Manifestation – taking control of your thoughts and being intentional about your desires for you and your family (their relationships, rhythms and routines, dreams, growth, and more) can truly transform your life. Manifestation, combined with prayer, is an incredibly powerful tool.

Specific Prayers

Short Prayer for Blessing

Dear Lord, please bless my family, watch over my children, guard their hearts and minds, and lead them towards you always. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer for New Friendships

Dear Lord, guide my child in the right direction as you bring new friends into their life. May their hearts be ready to love as Christ loves us, and may the holy spirit within them shine bright. May you guide the most loving and kind people into their lives, who have shared interests and a love for Jesus. May they share wonderful adventures with their new friends and find companionship and true loyalty within each other. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer for School Administrators

O lord, bless the school administrators, office staff, and community leaders who work tirelessly behind the scenes for the good of our children. May they be inspired by Christ in all that they do, may all evil be rooted out, and may their good work uplift and support our children. May their work strengthen our educational systems so that all children may receive a sound and fulfilling education. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer for a New Teacher

Dear Lord, I thank you for my child’s new teacher and I ask that you are working in their heart and mind to teach my child well, to keep them safe, and that they are a believer of your word and that the holy spirit works within them to reach their students in a positive way. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer for Elementary Students

Dear Lord, watch over the Elementary students today as they gather together for learning. Keep them safe, shelter them from evil and any who would do them harm. Help them to be kind, compassionate, curious, and engaged in their work. Help them to feel nurtured and supported and loved in their classes, on the playgrounds, and on their busses. In Jesus name, amen.

Prayer for Middle School Students

Dear Lord, today and every day be with my child as they navigate the difficult world of middle school. Help them to find fiercely loyal friends, to discern truth, to find meaning and direction in your Word. Help them to see evil and danger plainly and to avoid them. Help them to feel confident in their skin, to feel loved and cherished as Children of God.

Morning Prayer For High School Students

Dear Lord, You know my heart, and I give my worries and anxiousness over to you. Please watch over my child today, who looks more like an adult these days than a child; please guard them from negative influences and give them the courage to make good choices when those influences do cross their path. May they seek you endlessly and be armored with your eternal love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer for College Students

Dear Lord, It has been such a privilege to watch my child grow over the years. As they go off to classes today at college, guard them from new adversaries, ignite their hearts to embrace this new adventure, and as always, protect them from harm. Help them to embrace a spirit of gratitude in this often self-centered world; help them to pursue spiritual growth alongside intellectual and social growth. May they desire to know Christ Jesus and to be more like him every day. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Prayer for Divine Protection

Dear God, I ask for your divine protection over my family. Protect us from all evil, shield us from harm, injury and danger. You are our refuge and our fortress. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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School Bible Verses

In closing, I’d like to share some of the verses that our family looks to when we need gospel centered encouragement and guidance during the school year. While our kids are busy focusing on their education, as parents we continue to be concerned with their spiritual education as well, and try to figure out how we can balance the two between packed schedules and the persistent demands of life that never seem to lessen. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, when you need a “time out”, these verses can remind you of your great mission: training up our children in the way they should go! Your work is not in vain – in every task, small and large, you can glorify God and bring peace and unity to your home.

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For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
Ecclesiastes 7:12

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Colossians 2:8

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.
Isaiah 54:13