A PARENT'S PRAYER

(A photo I have shared before.  I thought these sweet children would be a perfect fit for the Parents Prayer below.)

"Help me give my children the best...

not of trappings or toys, but of myself, cherishing them on good days and bad days, theirs and mine.

Teach me to accept them for who they are, not for what they do; 

To listen to what they say, if only so they will listen to me.

To encourage their goals, not mine, 

and please, let me laugh with them and be silly.

Let me give them a home where respect is the cornerstone, integrity the foundation, and there is enough happiness to raise the roof.

May I give them the courage to be true to themselves, the independence to take good care of themselves, and the faith to believe in a power much greater than their own.

See that I discipline my children without demeaning them, demand good manners without forgetting my own, and let them know they have limitless love no matter what they do.

Let me feed them properly, clothe them adequately and have enough to give them a small allowance, not for the work they do but for the pleasure they bring.

And let me be moderate in all things, so that the joy of getting will help them discover the joy of giving.

See that their responsibilities are real, but not burdensome, that my expectations are high but not overwhelming, and that my thanks and praise are thoughtful, and given when they are due.

Help me teach them that excellence is its own reward and not the glory it brings.

But when it comes...and it will...let me revel in each honor, however small, without once pretending that it's mine.  My children are glories enough.

Above all let me ground these children so well, that I can dare to let them go."

~Author Unknown~



(If you would like to see where I got this photo from, it is amongst all the posts from the Scottish Festival in Virginia.  We attended the festival in September 2009, and to see all the posts I shared of that day, you can click on this link.  Long time blogging friends may remember them, but will hopefully enjoy them again.  It was an amazing day spent with good friends.)