I have two sons, Will (4) and Jed (2). This is the exact prayer I say each night for Will, my oldest son. As I put him to bed we have our “man-cub hugs” where we rub our foreheads, noses, and cheeks together, acting like lions. Then I grab his hands, tell him to close his eyes and I ask him to pray. After his (normally really short) prayer, I say this to close out the day.

“Dear Father in Heaven,

I pray for my son. Lord, thank you for him and that I get to be his daddy. I pray that he has a wonderful night sleep and that through it, Oh Lord, you will give him rest so that he will have the strength, through the Holy Spirit’s power, to grow into a Man of God. I pray that he becomes a man who loves you and cares for others. Help his younger years to be full of laughter, learning about truth and love and how to share them. Father God, I love him so much and I hope he always knows it (at which point a smile he can’t contain sneaks out, tongue between his teeth, eyes still closed, followed by this weird cross between a sniff and a giggle).

It’s in the name of our Lord Jesus we pray. Amen (and Will joins me for the Amen). 

Good night, my son. I love you.”