Each parent should be provided a copy of the Parents Prayer to be glued into their notebooks.  

A copy can be downloaded from the above button.

 

Week 1:  Parent’s Prayer Part 1

 

Objective:  To increase the awareness of and importance of parental patience and courtesy

Focus:  “Teach me to understand my children, to listen patently 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.”

Instructional Guidance:  Review the entire prayer together.  What is the goal of the prayer?  (Ans.: The first line of the prayer: to be made into a better parent AND the last line of the prayer: to be loved and respected and imitated by my children.)  Focus on the first two stanzas of the prayer (See focus quote above.)  Discuss each stanza.  Think about whether we as parents fully do these two things.  In small groups, discuss how each of these stanzas can be executed.  Each parent needs to develop an action plan for the week for themselves to implement. 

 

Week 2:  Parents Prayer Part 2

 

Objective: To increase the awareness of and importance of parental discipline and behavior

Focus:  “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.”

Instructional Guidance:  Review the entire prayer together.  In small groups, discuss how well each parent implemented their action plan.  Each group should focus on support, NOT criticism or sympathy.  Offer suggestions/analysis for successful implementation.  In whole group, focus on the second two stanzas of the prayer above.  Discuss each stanza.  Think about whether we as parents fully do these two things.  In small groups, discuss how each of these stanzas can be executed.  Each parent needs to develop an action plan for the week for themselves to implement.  If last week’s plan was not implemented or unsuccessful, parent should devise a plan to integrate the two week’s plans and attempt execution this week.

 

Week 3:  Parents Prayer Part 3

 

Objective: To increase the awareness of and importance of parental honesty and self-restraint

Focus:  “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, O Lord, to hold my tongue.”

Instructional Guidance:  Review the entire prayer together.  In small groups, discuss how well each parent implemented their action plan.  Each group should focus on support, NOT criticism or sympathy.  Offer suggestions/analysis for successful implementation.  In whole group, focus on the third two stanzas of the prayer above.  Discuss each stanza.  Think about whether we as parents fully do these two things.  In small groups, discuss how each of these stanzas can be executed.  Each parent needs to develop an action plan for the week for themselves to implement.  If last week’s plan was not implemented or unsuccessful, parent should devise a plan to integrate the two week’s plans and attempt execution this week.

 

Week 4:  Parents Prayer Part 4

 

Objective:  To increase the awareness of and importance of parental judgments and building of child’s self-reliance.

Focus:  “May I ever be mindful that my children are children and I should not expect of them the judgment of adults.  Let me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves and to make decisions.”

Instructional Guidance:  Review the entire prayer together.  In small groups, discuss how well each parent implemented their action plan.  Each group should focus on support, NOT criticism or sympathy.  Offer suggestions/analysis for successful implementation.  In whole group, focus on the fourth two stanzas of the prayer above.  Discuss each stanza.  Think about whether we as parents fully do these two things.  In small groups, discuss how each of these stanzas can be executed.  Each parent needs to develop an action plan for the week for themselves to implement.  If last week’s plan was not implemented or unsuccessful, parent should devise a plan to integrate the two week’s plans and attempt execution this week.

 

Week 5:  Parents Prayer Part 5

 

Objective:  To increase the awareness of and importance of parental justice.

Focus:  “Bless me with 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 to be loved and respected and imitated by my children.”

Instructional Guidance:  Review the entire prayer together.  In small groups, discuss how well each parent implemented their action plan.  Each group should focus on support, NOT criticism or sympathy.  Offer suggestions/analysis for successful implementation.  In whole group, focus on the last two stanzas of the prayer above.  Discuss each stanza.  Think about whether we as parents fully do these two things.  In small groups, discuss how each of these stanzas can be executed.  Each parent needs to develop an action plan for the week for themselves to implement.  If last week’s plan was not implemented or unsuccessful, parent should devise a plan to integrate the two week’s plans and attempt execution this week.