Friday, January 28, 2005 AD Children Learn What They Live What do we think of this poem?
If a child lives with criticism, He learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, He learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, He learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame, He learns to feel guilty
If a child lives with tolerance, He learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, He learns to have confidence.
If a child lives with praise, He learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, He learns justice.
If a child lives with security, He learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, He learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance, and friendship. He learns to find love in the world.
This is a short version of a longer piece by Dorothy Law Nolte -- and not her approved abridged version (note that her versions have been sanitized for feminist sensibilities). Is there enough truth in it to make it worthwhile, or is it sheer humanist nonsense? An aunt had this on a wall hanging when I was little, and I always liked it because I lived with the wrong set of things from the list. So about 12 or 15 years ago, I bought a piece of calligraphy with the poem. And now I've had it in and out of keep and get-rid-of boxes a dozen times. What are your thoughts? Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 1/28/2005 05:22:00 PM
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