A Prayer for Children: Kindness and Compassion

Making more love to share, everywhere

Each day we are bombarded across media platforms with mixed messages about what kind of people to be.

That inner turmoil is often reflected in the actions of leaders, who should be examples for us to follow.

So many of us are seeking reassurance that the world is indeed a loving place—our children most of all. Kids need grace and humanity to thrive, something so elusive on the nightly news.

How can we raise children to lead with their heart, children who are considerate and empathetic to others and who feel that a compassionate life is a successful one?

The ‘Do as I Do’ Principle

There are many layers to peel back in exploring the ways, but let’s start with a very basic one: Children learn the most from adults by watching what they do and following their example.

“Do as I say, not as I do” is a false habit that is ineffective at best and damaging at worst.

That may seem obvious, but we don’t have to look very far to find adults shouting at children to be quiet or spanking as a way of discouraging violence. It’s confusing and counterproductive.

To raise a kind and compassionate person means working also to be one. Each of us can employ helpful resources to grow empathy and understanding, starting with a child’s school or church.

As you find new avenues to explore caring together, consider adding one or two other ways to encourage compassion, understanding, and humanity in youth:

• Create an environment of consideration and respect in your home.
• Let youngsters “catch” you being kind to others.
• Celebrate their kindness to others.
• Do service projects together.
• Demonstrate patience and consideration as best you can.
• Inspire empathy—talk about how others may be feeling.
• Assume a child wants to care, then help them to choose kindhearted actions.
• Take your children’s feelings into account when making or shifting plans.
• Discuss your children’s unkind behavior with them. Explore the causes.
• Be selective with what your family consumes across all media platforms.
• Discuss behaviors children see in shows and advertisements.

Finally, consider praying together as a family, and encourage children to pray for others.

A Prayer for Kindness and Compassion in All Children

• Pausing for a moment, I rest my hands on my heart. Breathing deeply and becoming comfortable in this space, I open into the energy of prayer.
• Bringing all children of the world into my awareness, I feel empathy, acceptance, and understanding reaching from my heart to theirs.
• Love flows between and over us like a blanket of compassion wrapped tenderly around our planet.
• I envision every child finding examples of goodness and grace to follow every single day, each one feeling moved and motivated to follow the loving lessons they find.
• One heart at a time, peace prospers, goodwill grows, and love lights the way. Brought into being by belief, it is so.

A Shared Family Prayer for Kindness and Compassion

We come together in this moment to open our hearts in the energy of prayer.

We take a deep breath in, imagining it is moving through us to filter out any stress, worry, or tension that might be hanging out in our bodies. Feeling it all dissolving, we blow it out, wiggling it out of any parts where it may be stuck as it leaves.

With the next breath, we feel clean, fresh air coming in, picturing love pouring in with it, filling us up with kindness and compassion.

Breathing out any leftover worry or discomfort, we envision ourselves filled to overflowing with love to share wherever we go. We see love, we feel love, and we are love.

And so it is. Amen.

Together we affirm:

Did you know? All children are welcome to pray with Unity Prayer Ministry associates.