To To the eight girls in my care
and thanks to Rudyard Kipling]

IF I can keep my cool,
When all about me are losing theirs and
IF I can retaliate "I hate you",
With "I see you are angry",
And still give you all an equal share.
IF the infectious diseases,
Sleepless nights, and bad language,
Don't destroy me and
IF I can hang in there,
I'm getting there,
So I'll hang in there.
IF I can be and allow you to be,
And still be,
I take my hat off to me.
IF I can temper
The tantrums with a laugh,
And laugh at the temper,
The temperature's right.
IF I can be a listener,
A friend, a seamstress,
A driver a giver a taker ,
A mother, a teacher and a father
I'm your parent my friends,
And you had better listen to me