I started using a weekly planner for my kids when we started homeschooling. At first, it was just a big calendar on the wall with all our things written on it. I found that using a weekly planner helped to keep track of lesson plans, assignments, extracurriculars, special days (like birthdays and other celebrations). As my kids get older, I will transition them to keeping track of their own daily or weekly planner.
On all of our weekly and daily planners, I like to have space for gratitude and for prayers.
Philippians 4:6-7 is one of my favourite verses in the Bible: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
These verses remind us to approach every situation with thanksgiving (thanksgiving even for the challenges in life). And they remind us to let go of all our worries and fears, to lift all those things up to God in prayer.
All the things you might be anxious about, send up to God in prayer. And all the things that you have to be grateful for…send those up to God in prayer as well. (Thank you, Lord, for coffee and summer vacations and the way that the wind rustles through the leaves on the trees.)
That is why I like to include space for gratitude and for prayers on any daily or weekly planners or calendars that I have. Recording the things that we are thankful for (both the big things and the little things) helps to remind us of all the blessings in our lives. It also helps to rewire our brains to see all the blessings in our lives, even amidst the challenges and the losses.
Having space for prayer also allows you to take anything that’s weighing on your heart, and to give it over to God. Do this every day, or every week, and allow God to guard your heart and your mind, to transform those worries and anxieties into confidence in him.
If you want a free weekly planner for kids, you can grab this one right here. It’s colorful and minimalistic, with space to record important things each day, as well as space for gratitude and prayers. Stick it on your children’s bedroom wall, or on the refrigerator, as a reminder of any events or important things coming up, and as a reminder to lift up all your blessings, your worries, and your anxieties to God.
Download your FREE weekly planner for kids here. (Or click on the image above and download the high resolution JPEG.)
Love the planner – so so pretty! Our baby is not at the stage yet where they need a planner, but will come back to this when they do 😀
Thanks Britta! I remember the baby stage. It was chaos! (I have twins.) I hope you enjoy every moment with your little one.