At the Newspaper Boys Congress Dinner one little boy kept coming back again and again for pieces of pit. The coloured lady finally said to him, "Boy, if yo' don' stop eatin' pie, you's gonna bust!" The little boy said, "Well, lady, gime the pie and get outta the way!"

Only a dad with a tired face,
Coming home from the daily race,
Bringing little of gold or fame,
To show how well he has played the game,
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice,
To see him come home and hear his voice.

Only a dad of a brood of four,
One of ten million men or more,
Plodding along in the daily strife,
Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,
With never a whimper of pain or hate,
For the sake of those who at home do wait!

Only a dad, neither rich nor proud,
Merely one of the surging crowd,
Toiling, striving, from day to day,
Facing whatever may come his way,
Silent whenever the harsh condemn,
And bearing it all for the love of them!

Only a dad, but he gives his all,
To smooth the way for his children small,
Doing with courage stern and grim,
The deeds that his father did for him.
This is the line that for him I pen:
"Only a dad, but the best of men!"

--Edgar A. Guest

Newspaper columnist Abigail Van Buren has composed a "Parent's Prayer" in which she stresses the practical side of raising children. Says "Dear Abby":

Oh, 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, O 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 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, O Lord, to be loved and respected and imitated by my children. Amen.

Give me a little hand to hold in mine;
Give me a little child to point the way
Over the strange, sweet path that leads to Thee.

Give me a little voice to teach to pray;
Give me two shining eyes Thy face to see.
The only crown I ask, dear Lord, to wear
Is this: That I may teach a little child.

I do not ask that I may ever stand
Among the wise, the worthy or the great;
I only ask that softly, hand in hand,
A child and I may enter at the gate.

* * * * *

Psalm for a Parent--Adapted from Psalm 23

I am God's shepherd for my child put here to supply all his needs,
I help my child lie down where he will be safe and secure,
And I lead him to quiet, untroubled places where his soul will be restored.
I guide my child in paths of righteousness for God's sake and his own.
Even when my child walks through dark and difficult places,
He does not need to be afraid,
Because I am with him, and that comforts him.
I provide all the good food my child needs,
Even when his "friends" who want to hurt him are nearby.
I treat him like a young prince or princess, and bring a rich family heritage to him.
As long as I live, I will always be his friend, sharing kindness and good things.
I will be a leader and role model for my child, so that at the end of life we will live together in God's Heavenly Home.