How Child Learns

If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.
If a Child lives with hostility,
she learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
she learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
she learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairmess,
she learns justice.
If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
she learns to like herself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,
he learns to find love in the world.

A Parent’s Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, make me 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 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, oh Lord, to hold my tongue.
May I ever be mindful that my children are children
and I should not 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, oh Lord,
to be loved and respected and imitated by my children.
Amen