Lord, Help Me to Built a Healthy Child

By: Audrey Jeanne Roberts

For it is easier to build a child then to repair an adult.
Help me praise more than criticize, encourage more than nag.
Discipline, not punish, and model good behavior,
Rather than simply demand it.

Help me break the habit of automatically saying "No",when I could just as easily say "Yes",
and to remember a hug given before it's asked for is ten times more valuable!

Help me earn their respect as I lead a life consistent
with the principles I value.
Lord, give me the courage to teach them right from wrong
and help them discover their own special destinies.

Help me to freely join in their silliness, share in their laughter,
delight in their joys and keep their confidences.
Remind me daily to draw upon their own strength to heal their
wounds and comfort their sorrows.

Most of all, Lord, help me really listen for the hidden thoughts and needs
that often lie behind their requests and give me the key to their heart that
it may be opened wide to all life's wonders and possibilities.

(thank you Ruthie)