A Parents Prayer

Oh, God, make me a better parent.
Help me to understand my children,
to listen patiently
to what they have to say
and to answer all their questions
kindly.

Keep me from interrupting them,
talking back to them
and contradicting them.
Make me as courteous to them
as I would have them be to me.

Give me the courage to confess my sins
against my children
and to ask of them forgiveness,
when I know that I have done them wrong.

May I not vainly hurt
the feelings of my children.
Forbid that I should laugh
at their mistakes or
resort to shame
and ridicule as punishment.

Let me not tempt a child
to lie and steal.
So guide me hour by hour
that I may demonstrate
by all I say and do
that honestly produces happiness.

Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me.
May I cease to nag
and when I am out of sorts,
help me, O Lord,
to hold my tongue.

Blind me to the little errors
of my children
and help me to see
the good things that they do.
Give me a ready word
for honest praise.

Help to treat my children
as those of their own age,
but let me not exact of them
the judgments and conventions
of adults.

Allow me not to rob them
of the opportunity
to wait upon themselves,
to think, to choose,
and to make decisions.

Forbid that I should ever punish them
for my self satisfaction.

May I grant them all of their wishes
that are reasonable
and have the courage always to
withhold a privilege
that I know will do them harm.
Amen