A Child's 10 Commandments to Parents.

When I first became a mother I had an image in my heart and mind of what kind of mother I would be.
To say that I have lived up to that image for the past 680 days would be a falsehood. If, on March 22, 2010, you had asked me if I would ever be guilty of hastily snapping at Olivia- I would have said never. If you had said that I would question myself, and my patience with Olivia- I would have told you that you were mistaken.
Sadly, I am guilty of both and more. A fact that I am not proud of, but a truth of my life. I pray every moment of every day that God give me the patience, grace and wisdom to parent Olivia.
When I found the Child's 10 Commandments for Parents it was just what I needed to read that day.
I think sometimes we get bogged down with the day to day and lose sight of the ultimate goal of parenting. That is, to raise Godly children. Sometimes when I'm having a particularly difficult day, I'll read through this list. Some days I only have to read a few before the conviction strikes and I'm reminded of my purpose. Some days I read the list 10 times.

1. My hands are small; please don’t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture, or throw a ball. My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you.
2. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely: don’t restrict me unnecessarily.
3. Housework will always be there. I’m only little such a short time—please take time to explain things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly.
4. My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs; don’t nag me all day long. (You wouldn’t want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness.) Treat me as you would like to be treated.
5. I am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by, and disciplining me in a loving manner.
6. I need your encouragement, but not your praise, to grow. Please go easy on the criticism; remember you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.
7. Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself. Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes. Then someday I’ll be prepared to make the kind of decisions life requires of me.
8. Please don’t do things over for me. Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn’t quite measure up to your expectations. I know it’s hard, but please don’t try to compare me with my brother or my sister.
9. Please don’t be afraid to leave for a weekend together. Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from kids. Besides, it’s a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special.
10. Please take me to Sunday school and church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow. I enjoy learning more about God.