For many, autumn is their favorite time of year. The changing of the leaves, the start of the football season, and fall holidays and traditions all hold a certain amount of excitement and nostalgia.

For children, perhaps the biggest event is the new school year. They must learn to cooperate with others and navigate academic responsibilities. It can be both an exciting and terrifying experience. As Christian parents, we can encourage our children during this time. Here are six simple ideas that may make a huge impact.

• Start their day with a hug or a smile. Add a positive comment to boost their confidence.
• Write a fun note and tuck it into their lunch boxes. It can be a Bible verse, a silly joke, a quick sketch, or a heartfelt sentence or two. My daughter, a college graduate, still has a card I wrote for her framed in her room. It gave her a boost of confidence and let her know that even though she couldn’t see me, I was still behind her 100 percent.
• Maintain a ritual for when children launch their day. As her kids left for school, a friend of mine always reminded them, “Remember whose kid you are.” The familiar mantra reassured her children that they not only belonged to a family who cared for them, but also to a Heavenly Father who loved them.
• Pray with your children at the start and end of their day. Talking with God provides a moment of calm reflection and comfort. If you keep a consistent pattern, children will form a valuable lifetime habit of prayer.
• Ask about their school day when they return. This can be hard, since many children will say, “It was fine” or something vague like that when asked, “How was school today?” So, ask specific questions. What surprised you the most in math today? What game did you play at recess? What was the funniest thing you saw? Who did you sit next to at lunch? Children may also open up if you share what you did during the hours they were gone.
• Read a bedtime book that encourages them to succeed or shows your love. You can find these in both the general and Christian market. Some of my favorites include The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud, The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi, and Bedtime With Mommy by Nancy I. Sanders.

So, start the school year with confidence and cultivate that special connection you have with your child, no matter where life takes them.

Lori Z. Scott

Photo by note thanun on Unsplash

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