“Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when sad events occur or people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.”
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“If you complain about politics, and gripe about taxes, and stew about the sorry state of things your children will learn to whine instead of laugh. If you can see in every moment a chance to live, and to accept, and to appreciate, your children will transform the world.”
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“If you overly protect your children they will fear failure and avoid pain. But failure and pain are twin teachers of important lessons. Unless your children fully experience both how will they know they have nothing to fear?”
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“LESS IS MORE - Your children do not need more. Each day adds more facts, more gadgets, more activities, more desires, and more confusion to their lives. Your task is to subtract. Each day seek to remove, to clarify, to simplify.”
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“Few things in this world are as important as raising children. In every age, every era, every time and place, children are our treasures, our future, our immortality—the vital link in the chain of humanity.”
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“If your child fails at something merely express your confidence in their ability to handle the consequences. If they behave irresponsibly, merely point out the consequences to themselves and others, and again express your trust that they will learn. As soon as possible give them another opportunity to be appropriately responsible. Do not slip into the downward spiral of blame, shame, and control. It doesn’t work.”
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“Believe this difficult truth. Showing respect in the face of disrespect, love in the face of hate, trust in the face of betrayal, and serenity in the face of turmoil, will teach your children more than all the moral lectures by all the preachers since the dawn of time.”
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“Don’t mistake your desire to talk for their readiness to listen. Far more important”
