Parent's Prayer

O Heavenly Father, make a better parent.
Teach 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 or contradicting them.
Make me as courteous to them as I would
have them 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 meanes 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 expect of them the judgement 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 the children.

Xavier School