A Prayer for Children: Navigating Change

3 Ways to Handle Change in the New School Year

It’s that time of year when the pool floaties get put away and back-to-school sales begin. I loved going school shopping. The crisp, empty notebooks waiting to be filled with ideas, a fresh box of crayons ready to color the world, and a new backpack to hold all the things I would need in the new school year. Often with newness comes change—new teachers, new classrooms, new friends, or even a new school. Navigating these changes can be exciting but also a little scary for children.

There are many spiritual tools that can help children navigate change, but at the top of the list is helping them understand and know at depth that they have all the wisdom, strength, and guidance within them to navigate any situation.

Here are three tools you can use to help your child thrive during times of change:

Routine. New schools, teachers, and friends can throw off a child’s sense of security and safety. Establishing and sticking to new routines or honoring those already in place can provide children with the familiarity of knowing what to expect. As a family, come up with morning and/or nighttime routines for the new school year. Encouraging your child to be part of the process (maybe even negotiating bedtime) gives them a sense of control and provides them with the confidence to handle each change.

God Box. A God Box is a creative way for children to release any worries or prayers to God. Any cardboard box or container works, but the fun comes with decorating it. Encourage your child to draw, paint, or put stickers and other elements on the box to personalize it. This is a great time to talk about any worries or concerns they have and help them understand that fear of change is normal (even grown-ups still get scared), but all things are possible when we remember we are divine expressions of God.

When your child is afraid or worried, invite them to write it down and put it in their God Box as a way of releasing it. They can also write prayers for other people, intentions, hopes, and dreams and put them into this sacred container. Keep using the box all year. At the end of the school year, it can be useful to look back together at the worries and fears they released to see how they turned out and take stock of how much your child has matured.

The Power of I AM. Our words have creative power, and anything that follows I AM is a statement of truth to the universe. If your child comes home from school with their report card and says, “I AM stupid,” take the opportunity to reframe it. How about “I AM learning”?

Affirmations can be a powerful way to help children reconnect with their divine guidance and provide a tool for being conscious of what they are saying to themselves and others. In our Sunday school classroom, we use the I ❤️ Me! Affirmation Button from Unity. When each child arrives, they push the button and hear one of 10 unique affirmations. Kids love hearing their message then declaring it out loud to the universe!

Consider adding positive I AM statements into your nighttime or morning toothbrushing routine. Saying them in front of a mirror is powerful and saying them with toothpaste brings a silliness that makes it fun.

Prayer for Navigating Change in All Children

As I take a deep breath, I bring into my heart the children in my life. I see them walking through every change with confidence and strength, knowing they have the wisdom inside to guide them. May they have the courage to show up as their best selves and have compassion for themselves and others if courage fails. As I expand my awareness to all children, I feel a deep sense of gratitude for the demonstration of love they share with the world.

A Shared Family Prayer for Handling Change

As we go into the world today, we welcome the newness of every experience. We are excited to explore the world and send love to everyone we meet today. We affirm together: We are brave, we are safe, and we are excited! We are grateful for our family and the adventure this day brings.

Together we affirm:

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