Mariah Burton Nelson: Blessing for Parents with Imperfect Children

Author/Athlete/Professional Speaker

"Think of yourself as an athlete. I guarantee you it will change the way you walk, the way you work, and the decisions you make about leadership, teamwork, and success." --MBN

A Blessing for Parents with Imperfect Children
copyright July 2003
by Mariah Burton Nelson,
based on the work of Ann Rasmussen, PhD

Ever worry who your child
Is turning out to be?
Ever say, “I wish my child
Were MORE LIKE ME?”

Your son might be a talker
While you’re the quiet sort
Your daughter might like poetry
While YOU wish she’d play sports.

Want your kid to pioneer
Some new field, opening doors?
When deep down -- if you tell the truth
That field of dreams is yours?

Do you feel disappointed
When your child fails, or mopes?
Do you feel disappointed
That this kid’s not all you’d hoped?

Of course you love your children
--But you’d love them even more
If they would want what you want
Or want it even more.

That’s natural. We are all this way
There’s nothing wrong with you
But here’s a parent’s blessing
To help you see this through.

May you love your children as they are
And love who they’re becoming
God’s music comes in many forms
From horns to flutes to drumming

May you see the gifts they bring to you
And see their human glory
May you listen as they sing to you
And tell you their life story

May you ask about their passions
Their fears, their hopes, their yearnings
May you ask yourself, Who IS this child?
And what could I be learning?

Resist the urge, please, if you can
To make them someone new
Resist the urge, please, if you can
To make them more like you

There is a chance, perhaps remote
That others feel this too
In fact your own kids just might
Wish that you’d be different too.

So model for them, not just tolerance,
but celebration
Variety’s the hallmark, after all,
of God’s creation.

They can’t be perfect princesses
They can’t be perfect elves
Your children are not perfect
But they’re perfectly themselves
***
Mariah Burton Nelson is an author, athlete, and professional speaker who uses sports stories to show people how to lead and succeed with courage, compassion, commitment, and confidence. Her latest book is We Are All Athletes. For reprint permission contact the author; information below.

To contact Mariah about her presentations, call 703/276-8323 or write to her at Mariah@MariahBurtonNelson.com

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