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.