If you can guide, not push your son along,
If you can guard, not smother, from the wrong,
If you can love, not idolize your child,
If you can teach obedience, tame the wild Instinctive moods, the very heart of him,
If you can pray, to save his soul from sin,
If you regard his need for elbowroom,
And can remember he's a man so soon....
If you can punish, and be just, as well,
If you can, too, your rising anger quell,
If your respect his personality,
Give him to God for immortality,
If you can promise, and be ever true,
If you can trust him when there is some doubt
And then can tell him when no one's about,
If you can share his secrets and his fears,
If all God's laws you train him to uphold,
Your child will not forget you when you're old.-
