Two beautiful back-to-school prayers

I stumbled across these prayers (one for parents, & one for teachers, because we're all teachers) at A Concord Pastor Comments, and thought that they were well worth sharing at this time of year.  Like many of you, I remember well the day that I dropped my oldest child off for his first day of Kindergarten.  He was excited & happy; I cried in the car as I left the parking lot.  He looked so tiny in my rearview mirror compared to the "big kids," and now he's one of them.  Where does the time go? 
For all of us, I pray that we learn to stop, pay attention, and enjoy this time in our lives.  Even in the midst of our hectic everyday lunch-packing, hair-combing, face-wiping, shoe-tying, gonna-be-late mornings, some part of us knows that we'll miss it all if we don't slow down and enjoy it.            

Parents' Prayer for Students
Dear Lord,
As my children leave for school,
I pray that you will keep them in your care.
Send your Spirit to open their minds

to all that is true and beautiful and good.

Help them to see the gifts and talents
you have given them and to use them well.
Help them to grow in knowledge and wisdom.
Help them to be kind to others
and lead others be kind to them.
Give their teachers patience and understanding
and help them teach what is just and true.

Send your angels to guide and guard my children

and to keep them from all harm.
Open their young hearts to your presence

and enfold them in your peace and protection.
Hold them in the palm of your hand
and bring them home safely at day's end. Amen.

Prayer for Teachers
Dear God,
A new school day is about to begin
and my classroom door will soon open
to the students you've assigned to my care...
Open my mind and heart to each of them
and especially to the ones
who will challenge me the most...
Help me challenge my students, all of them,
to study, to learn, to grow in knowledge
and even in a little wisdom...
Help me remember, Lord,
how young my students are:
give me patience to help them grow up, at least a little,
and insight to know the help they need...
Help me to understand that sometimes
my students may not understand me:
may I be clear in the things I say and do,
and in how I say and do them…
These children don't know the burdens and worries
my heart may bring to the classroom,
so help me remember, Lord,
that their hearts may be anxious and heavy, too...
Keep me from favoring any particular students, Lord,
except for those who most need my help...
Let my decisions in the classroom
be fair and just, honest and true...
Send your Spirit to fill me with gifts
of knowledge and understanding, counsel and wisdom…
Lord, open my mind and heart to my students' parents,
especially those who will challenge me the most:
help me challenge them to challenge their children
to study, to learn and to grow...
Help me to teach as you teach, Lord:
make me firm when I need to be,
gentle in all things,
and patient until the last bell rings…
A new school day is about to begin, Lord:
I wonder: what will you teach me today? Amen.