Papa’s Prayer
Last night I was lucky enough to put my son to sleep. Usually this is Papa’s privilege. They read together, brush teeth and then Papa says his prayer. Speed said I could stay with him while he was going to sleep but Papa had to do the prayer!
Speed squeezed his eyes shut, made the sign of the cross and clasped his palms together and Papa (French Catholic) started the prayer. Au nom du Père, du Fils et du Saint Esprit…
Thank you, Jesus for taking care of Speed today, keep him safe tomorrow and safe in his bed tonight. Thank you, Jesus for taking care of Chuckles today, keep her safe tomorrow and safe in her bed tonight. Take care of Mummy and Papa, Aunty, Mormor and Morfar, Glen and Grandad. Keep them safe.
Take care of all the little children who need you and keep them safe and warm.
Please Jesus, make sure Speed wears a helmet when he plays with his toys with wheels. Make sure he stays with Mummy when he is in a public place like the supermarket and in the carpark. Remember there are some bad people who want to take children away from their families so you must stay close to Mum, Speed. Listen carefully to Mummy, respect her and never hit girls, ever. Make sure you don’t hit, bite, throw anything at anybody, ever and to express your feelings with words.
(At this point Speed looks up at me and winks!)
Remember that your Papa loves you very much and thinks you are a wonderful boy and Mummy loves you very much and thinks you are her special boy. And thank you, Jesus for giving a big loving heart to Speed that helps him to be kind.
Au nom du Père, du Fils et du Saint Esprit…Amen
At this point I was thinking that this is quite a long prayer. Quite long enough!
However, after a sleep I come up with a few more things that could be added. Like these …. such as helping Speed to remember NOT to:
- roll down our steep driveway in a cardboard box
- jump on the roof of the car
- stuff his nose with bread
- deposit his toys in the duct system
- gauge car tracks into the furniture
- chew electrical cables
- bite his toenails in the cupboard or anywhere else!
June 1st, 2009 at 9:19 pm
OK, OK, you win, we’ll now start 2 hours earlier to cover all the new topics…..he is so cute that one…definitely takes after his mom.
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:59 am
Awwwww…
Actually I never thought of prayers being used as behaviour reinforcers…
Interesting.
Does it work?