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 for forgiveness, when I know I have done them wrong.
May I not 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 that I say and do that honesty produces happiness.
Reduce, I pray, the meaness in me. May I cease to nag; and when I am out of sorts, help me, oh Lord, to hold my tongue.
Blind me to the little errors of my children and help me see the good things that they do. Give me a ready word for honest praise.
Help me treat my children as those of their own age, but let me not exact of them the judgements and convictions 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 selfish satisfaction.
May I grant all of their wishes that are reasonable and have courage always to withhold a priviledge which I know will do them harm.
Make me so fair and just, so considerate and companionable to my children that they will have a genuine esteem for me.
Fit me to be loved and imitated by my children.
With all thy gifts, oh God, do give me calm and poise and self control.
Author Unknown
I read this the other day in Ann Landers. There have been plenty of times
I wish I would've had this to read. It's very inspirational and I hope you enjoy it
as much as I do. It's called....
After Awhile
By Veronica A. Shoffstall
After awhile, you learn the subtle difference
Between holding hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't mean security,
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open,
With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,
And learn to build all your roads today
Because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans,
And futures have a way of falling down in midflight.
And after awhile, you learn
That even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul,
Instead of waiting for someone
bring you flowers.
And you can learn that you really
can endure...
That you really are strong
And you really do have worth
And you learn and learn....
With every goodbye, you learn.