Guard your lips when a child is near,
For children repeat the things they hear,
Let no ugly tones be heard.
For it is wicked and a sin,
To mar the innocence within,
By language coarse and unrefined,
That leaves a mark upon the mind,
Little ears are listening,
Little ears catch everything,
Control your feelings, check your tongue,
In the hearing of the young.
God sends a little one to you,
As fresh and sweet as morning dew,
So let your speech be pure and mild,
In the presence of a child.