What do you think?
Rate this book
Prayers of a Parent
Prayers of a Parent for Young Children
Our children are precious to us. So how precious it is that we can lift up these dear ones in prayer to God our Father, who has shown his love to us in his own Son—and who gives us his Holy Spirit to help us to pray according to his Word.
These poetic prayers bring praises and petitions to the Lord who knows and loves our children perfectly. Covering their spiritual well-being, physical needs, and character growth, the prayers are accompanied by brief reflections from Kathleen as well as Scripture passages for meditation.
This volume offers prayers for young children, from birth through the preteen years. Other books in the series provide prayers for a loved one’s teenage, young adult, and adult years.
Endorsements“I know of no other guide to parental prayer like Nielson’s tender, insightful, gospel-rich, and loving little book. Read it and you will find yourself praying for new things for your children in new ways.”
—Paul David Tripp, Author, New Morning Mercies and Parenting
“Filled with faith, hope, and love, each prayer is accompanied by relevant Scripture and a focused exhortation to help any parent to put into words what they long for in their hearts. . . . My wife and I look forward to using [this book]!”
—Julius J. Kim, President, The Gospel Coalition
“It can be tough to pause and intentionally pray for our children prayers that align with the concerns of God laid out in his Word. This is where Kathleen’s prayers come alongside us in our weariness, anxiety, and ambitions. These prayers are worth sitting with, chewing on, and praying. I will be using and sharing this resource for many years to come.”
—Quina Aragon, Author, Love Made and Love Gave
“Because poetic expression (with its ‘rhythms, sounds, and meanings’) naturally lodges in our minds and elevates our thoughts—especially when it is based on sacred Scripture—it enlarges our vocabulary for prayer. This book is a wonderful gift to both parent and child. Highly recommended!”
—Kent and Barbara Hughes, Authors; Speakers; Longtime Pastor and Pastor’s Wife
These poetic prayers bring praises and petitions to the Lord who knows and loves our children perfectly. Covering their spiritual well-being, physical needs, and character growth, the prayers are accompanied by brief reflections from Kathleen as well as Scripture passages for meditation.
This volume offers prayers for young children, from birth through the preteen years. Other books in the series provide prayers for a loved one’s teenage, young adult, and adult years.
Endorsements“I know of no other guide to parental prayer like Nielson’s tender, insightful, gospel-rich, and loving little book. Read it and you will find yourself praying for new things for your children in new ways.”
—Paul David Tripp, Author, New Morning Mercies and Parenting
“Filled with faith, hope, and love, each prayer is accompanied by relevant Scripture and a focused exhortation to help any parent to put into words what they long for in their hearts. . . . My wife and I look forward to using [this book]!”
—Julius J. Kim, President, The Gospel Coalition
“It can be tough to pause and intentionally pray for our children prayers that align with the concerns of God laid out in his Word. This is where Kathleen’s prayers come alongside us in our weariness, anxiety, and ambitions. These prayers are worth sitting with, chewing on, and praying. I will be using and sharing this resource for many years to come.”
—Quina Aragon, Author, Love Made and Love Gave
“Because poetic expression (with its ‘rhythms, sounds, and meanings’) naturally lodges in our minds and elevates our thoughts—especially when it is based on sacred Scripture—it enlarges our vocabulary for prayer. This book is a wonderful gift to both parent and child. Highly recommended!”
—Kent and Barbara Hughes, Authors; Speakers; Longtime Pastor and Pastor’s Wife
Kindle Edition
Published June 21, 2021
27 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen B. Nielson
27 books25 followerssee also: Kathleen Buswell Nielson
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Kathleen Nielson holds M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in literature from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. from Wheaton College (Illinois). She has taught in the English departments at Vanderbilt University, Bethel College (Minnesota), and Wheaton College. She is the author of numerous Bible studies, and the book Bible Study: Following the Ways of the Word, as well as various articles and poems. Kathleen has directed and taught women s Bible studies at several churches and speaks extensively at conferences and retreats. She serves as director of women s initiatives for The Gospel Coalition and on the board of directors of The Charles Simeon Trust. Kathleen and her husband Niel (president of Covenant College 2002 2012, now leading an enterprise in global Christian education) have three sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and a growing number of grandchildren!
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Kathleen Nielson holds M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in literature from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. from Wheaton College (Illinois). She has taught in the English departments at Vanderbilt University, Bethel College (Minnesota), and Wheaton College. She is the author of numerous Bible studies, and the book Bible Study: Following the Ways of the Word, as well as various articles and poems. Kathleen has directed and taught women s Bible studies at several churches and speaks extensively at conferences and retreats. She serves as director of women s initiatives for The Gospel Coalition and on the board of directors of The Charles Simeon Trust. Kathleen and her husband Niel (president of Covenant College 2002 2012, now leading an enterprise in global Christian education) have three sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and a growing number of grandchildren!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 11, 2025
“Some of my friends children are learning justice as their families care lovingly for foster children. Our homes are natural places to practice justice and teach it to our children as we show hospitality and invest in relationships with fatherless and widows and sojourners of all sorts.”
There’s enough good in here that the book is 3 stars but I have to address the author’s complete misunderstanding of the word justice.
“He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing” Deuteronomy 10:18
Kathleen seems to believe the word justice in the first half of the verse is the same as the word love in the second half. She equates justice with the love of giving food and clothing to those in need. This is a false equivalence. Loving care for foster children isn’t justice but instead grace. Justice is the reason they are in foster care instead of with their parents who acted in such a way that their children were removed from them. Hospitality and relationship are not things owed and therefore matters of justice, but instead grace, love, kindness, and care. All good and wonderful things, but not justice.
There’s enough good in here that the book is 3 stars but I have to address the author’s complete misunderstanding of the word justice.
“He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing” Deuteronomy 10:18
Kathleen seems to believe the word justice in the first half of the verse is the same as the word love in the second half. She equates justice with the love of giving food and clothing to those in need. This is a false equivalence. Loving care for foster children isn’t justice but instead grace. Justice is the reason they are in foster care instead of with their parents who acted in such a way that their children were removed from them. Hospitality and relationship are not things owed and therefore matters of justice, but instead grace, love, kindness, and care. All good and wonderful things, but not justice.
February 10, 2024
Beautiful, meaningful and helpful in expression. A little prayer book I’ll probably come back to again as long as I have little ones.
December 24, 2024
Sweet book to carry with you in order to have ready-to-recite prayers for the moment when you can’t find words. The only negative is that the prayers are a little clunky—they don’t read poetically, but they also don’t read with a natural spoken word; however, they are rich, theologically sound, and absolutely exult the Lord. The prayers remind you of the hope we have in Christ and reorient your heart toward eternity while in the thick of raising children.
The cover is worn and the spine ripped. That’s a good sign. This would make a lovely addition to a ‘just because’ gift for a young mom or tuck into a child’s birthday present for the parents.
The cover is worn and the spine ripped. That’s a good sign. This would make a lovely addition to a ‘just because’ gift for a young mom or tuck into a child’s birthday present for the parents.
December 25, 2022
Great book of prayers for our children.
April 21, 2023
I will be re-reading this often. It has great prayers and also served as a basis for me in forming my prayers for my child.
November 10, 2023
Excellent prayers for your children (of all ages, though most fitting for younger ones). I didn't usually read the paragraph-length devotional, but the prayers I will come back to again and again.
March 30, 2024
Lovely little booklet of 31 beautiful prayers. I could see this being something I pray through every month 🫶🏼
January 26, 2023
Very helpful topics to stir a parent up to pray for their children. Jesus said, “let the children come to Me”, so it’s especially good to bring them to Him in prayer.
August 22, 2023
To be re-read again and again!
February 4, 2025
4.5 stars.
I loved this. It was so helpful in this season to have prayers to read that gave language beyond what it felt like my brain was capable in the moment, but what my heart deeply longed to articulate and pray.
Knocking a half-star off because the prayers, written like a one-page poem, didn’t seem to follow any metering and, quite literally, had no rhyme or reason. I don’t care if poems don’t rhyme, but the lack of metering was cumbersome and distracting at times.
It’s still a wonderful resource and a great gift. I could see it especially benefiting a postpartum mom (🙋🏽♀️), so consider getting a few extra copies and including one each time you bring a meal to a family with a new baby.
I loved this. It was so helpful in this season to have prayers to read that gave language beyond what it felt like my brain was capable in the moment, but what my heart deeply longed to articulate and pray.
Knocking a half-star off because the prayers, written like a one-page poem, didn’t seem to follow any metering and, quite literally, had no rhyme or reason. I don’t care if poems don’t rhyme, but the lack of metering was cumbersome and distracting at times.
It’s still a wonderful resource and a great gift. I could see it especially benefiting a postpartum mom (🙋🏽♀️), so consider getting a few extra copies and including one each time you bring a meal to a family with a new baby.
December 28, 2021
This will certainly be a resource to which I will return again and again. Nielson provides such clarity and precision in her prayers over a wonderful spectrum of life for which we should be praying. I'm indebted to her and her work here in helping give words to my own muddled desires for God to work in the life of my son. Thank you, Kathleen, for this blessing!
February 4, 2022
A beautifully simple and yet deep guide to prayer. I like the format of scripture, one paragraph of explanation/exhortation followed by a prayer on each given topic--eternal to practical. I plan to continue using this in my personal worship each day through 2022 to develop a richer prayer life specific to my girls.
April 22, 2022
Such a wonderful, truth-filled book of prayers for parents of younger children. It helps to have written prayers for specific things when sometimes you don’t know how to pray. I will be revisiting it often!
October 17, 2023
A wonderful little book, beautifully written and encouraging and convicting in ways go pray for my children and also myself as a parent
June 30, 2024
Powerful prayers to pray over your kids. And your self.
July 8, 2024
Excellent. Reminded me and read like "The Valley of Vision" Puritan prayers except tailored for modern parents of young children. Will definitely read and reference again.
January 12, 2025
Great little pick me-up reminders to pray specific things for our children. I found a lot of relevance for my life and the season I am in right now with my son!
January 17, 2025
Great prayers/reflections as parent for a young child. I recommend this to anyone!!!
June 17, 2025
I love this book, it’s opened my eyes to the things I can be praying over for my children. This book has become a part of my personal quiet time routine for a year now. Highly recommend.
August 9, 2025
Precious words for precious souls.
November 18, 2024
I wasn't sure what to expect, going in to this book. Some collections of prayers are gorgeous and meaningful and others are trite and empty-feeling. This one, thankfully, was one of the former. While some of the prayers are best suited to be prayed over your children while they're asleep or unaware, others would be meaningful read aloud. I'll be adding this one to our Morning Time stack to read selections with the girls.
Update, 11/18/24:
I've been slowly working through this collection of prayers with my girls during Morning Time. It's been a very sweet addition to our time.
Update, 11/18/24:
I've been slowly working through this collection of prayers with my girls during Morning Time. It's been a very sweet addition to our time.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews