[Chorus]
Db   Ab
Your children
    Db      Ab
Are not your children
              Eb                       Eb7
They are the sons and the daughters of life's
 Ab
longing for itself
           Db
They come through you
                  Ab
But they are not from you
                Eb
And though they are with you
       Eb7         Ab
They belong not to you


[Verse 1]
         Ab                     Db       Ab
You can give them your love but not your thoughts
                Db   Ab
They have their own thoughts
                Db   Ab
They have their own thoughts
         Ab                    Db        Ab
You can house their bodies but not their souls
           Db                          Ab
For their souls dwell in a place of tomorrow
Db
Which you cannot visit
    Db   Eb      Ab
Not even in your dreams


[Bridge]
         Db                Ab
You can strive to be like them
         Db               Ab
But you cannot make them just like you
         Db                Ab
You can strive to be like them
         Db               Ab
But you cannot make them just like you


[Chorus]
Db   Ab
Your children
    Db      Ab
Are not your children
              Eb                       Eb7
They are the sons and the daughters of life's
 Ab
longing for itself
           Db
They come through you
                  Ab
But they are not from you
                Eb
And though they are with you
       Eb7         Ab
They belong not to you


[Verse 2]
         Ab                     Db       Ab
You can give them your love but not your thoughts
                Db   Ab
They have their own thoughts
                Db   Ab
They have their own thoughts
         Ab                    Db        Ab
You can house their bodies but not their souls
           Db                          Ab
For their souls dwell in a place of tomorrow
Db
Which you cannot visit
    Db   Eb      Ab
Not even in your dreams


[Outro]
         Db                Ab
You can strive to be like them
         Db               Ab
But you cannot make them just like you
         Db                Ab
You can strive to be like them
         Db               Ab
But you cannot make them just like you