O Master, make me a better parent. Teach me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they 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 want them to be to me. Give me the courage to confess my sins against my children and to ask their forgiveness when I know that I have wronged them.
May I not hurt the feelings of my children. Forbid that I should laugh at their mistakes or ridicule them in an attempt to punish. Let me not tempt them to lie and steal. Guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all I say and do that honesty produces happiness.
Blind me to the little errors of my children, and help me to see the good things they do. Give me a ready word for honest praise when they do right.
Help me to grow up with my children, to treat them as children and not as adults. Let me not judge them according to the standards of adult behavior. Do not allow me to rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves, to think, to choose, and to make decisions. Forbid that I should ever punish them for my own selfish satisfaction. May I grant them all their wishes that are reasonable and have the courage always to withhold a privilege which I know would be harmful.
Lord, make me so fair and just, so considerate and compassionate to my children, that they will have a genuine esteem for me. Make me worthy of being loved and imitated by my children. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
~January 2012 Concord
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