Parent's Prayer

O Heavenly Father, make me a better parent.
Teach me to understand my children, to listen
patiently to what they have to say, and answer
all their questions kindly.
Keep me from interrupting them or contradicting
them.
Make me as courteous to them as I would have them
be to me.
Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes, or
resort to shame or ridicule when they displease me.
May I never punish them for my own selfish satisfaction
or to show my power.
Let me not tempt my child to lie or steal.
And guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate
by all I say and do that honesty produces happiness.
Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me..
And when I am out of sorts, help me, O Lord, to hold
my tongue.
May I ever be mindful that my children are children
and I should not expect of them the judgment of adults.
Let me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on
themselves and to make decisions.
Bless me with the bigness to grant them all their
reasonable requests and the courage to deny them
privileges I know will do them harm.
Make me fair and just and kind.
And fit me, O Lord, to be loved and respected and
imitated by my children
                   
                                Amen