kittzy07Child Rearing
When I was a child, my mother hanged a frame at my headboard side of my bed. The frame says of a poem by Ronald Russell entitled “Lessons from Life”. It has been revised several times but the original version was that on April 1, 1959 under the name of Dorothy Louise Law, in the Torrance Schools Board of Education newsletter. But the one posted in my bedside was in the October 1972 issue of Reader's Digest the following version appeared, which also appeared in the Reader's Digest Treasury of Modern Quotations, (1975), (NY: Reader's Digest Press), which seems to be an adaptation of the 1969 version:
A child that lives with ridicule learns to be timid.
A child that lives with criticism learns to condemn.
A child that lives with distrust learns to be deceitful.
A child that lives with antagonism learns to be hostile
A child that lives with affection learns to love.
A child that lives with encouragement learns confidence.
A child that lives with truth learns justice.
A child that lives with praise learns to appreciate.
A child that lives with sharing learns to be considerate
A child that lives with knowledge learns wisdom.
A child that lives with patience learns to be tolerant.
A child that lives with happiness will find love and beauty.
This is a lovely poem and it teaches parents to try to create a good environment for a child because whatever the child picks from her surroundings, she can adapt it in herself. A child is like a sponge that whatever you show to them, she can easily absorb it into their system. It’s just sad to know that some children thrive in their own place. They don’t have the privilege to grow in an environment where they could express themselves. Let me show you how I understand each sentence:
A child that lives with ridicule learns to be timid. – Your kids don’t have any flaws at all. They don’t make mistakes. Things you tell them now will be with their minds later. Encouraging words will be with them through life with confidence.
A child that lives with criticism learns to condemn. – Parents should be first and foremost an inspiration. Leave criticism to the critics.
A child that lives with distrust learns to be deceitful. – If you gave a promise to a child, make it happen. My 2-year old never forgets the promise about things we’ll going to take home after work. When we arrive at home, after saying “Daddy, Mommy...”, next thing she’ll ask would be “(the promised thing)!”. Never forget the promise! That’s a promise.
A child that lives with antagonism learns to be hostile – Its best not to punish their wrongdoings buy hurting them physically. They will think that it’s ok to hurt other people too.
A child that lives with affection learns to love. – A child that grows with hugs and kisses, likes hugs and kisses.  Our kid never forgets to kiss us both before leaving home to work.
A child that lives with encouragement learns confidence. – My 2-year old kid loves to write and draw and paint and... Whenever she wants me to draw something, I tell her to draw it herself. Now, she paints and draws for hours.
A child that lives with truth learns justice. – One time, I told my daughter that what she is doing might hurt somebody. Whenever she does that, I always ask her if she wants someone to be hurt because of what she is doing. Then, she will look at me straight in the eye with tears in her eyes, she readily apologizes.
A child that lives with praise learns to appreciate. – I think it is ok for now if my kid says, “Thanks...” and after one second she will also say, “Welcome!”
A child that lives with sharing learns to be considerate. – Whenever we give something to our eldest daughter, especially food, she will always tell us to give it to her younger sister, too. With toys, that is another story.
A child that lives with knowledge learns wisdom. – Teach your kids what you know. Don’t give them theories or inventing facts. You don’t want to tell them that the moon is a ball of cheese, do you? And that they change phases because space rats eat it.
A child that lives with patience learns to be tolerant. – I can say that my youngest is patient. She just waits for her food to come when she is in front of the TV; patiently watching her favourite cartoon shows.
A child that lives with happiness will find love and beauty. – We always make sure that even if we were dead-tired, we still make time to spend with them playing and having fun. Once every weekend, we bring them outside to the amusement parks, malls and zoos. Because the happiness of the children depends on us, parents. If they will find happiness not only on tangible things but simple life experiences they share with us, they will grow to accept, appreciate, be contended and thankful of what they are and what they have that they will not resort to mundane things in order to make themselves happy. That’s Our responsibility.
A child that lives with ridicule learns to be timid.
A child that lives with criticism learns to condemn.
A child that lives with distrust learns to be deceitful.
A child that lives with antagonism learns to be hostile
A child that lives with affection learns to love.
A child that lives with encouragement learns confidence.
A child that lives with truth learns justice.
A child that lives with praise learns to appreciate.
A child that lives with sharing learns to be considerate
A child that lives with knowledge learns wisdom.
A child that lives with patience learns to be tolerant.
A child that lives with happiness will find love and beauty.
This is a lovely poem and it teaches parents to try to create a good environment for a child because whatever the child picks from her surroundings, she can adapt it in herself. A child is like a sponge that whatever you show to them, she can easily absorb it into their system. It’s just sad to know that some children thrive in their own place. They don’t have the privilege to grow in an environment where they could express themselves. Let me show you how I understand each sentence:
A child that lives with criticism learns to condemn. – Parents should be first and foremost an inspiration. Leave criticism to the critics.
A child that lives with distrust learns to be deceitful. – If you gave a promise to a child, make it happen. My 2-year old never forgets the promise about things we’ll going to take home after work. When we arrive at home, after saying “Daddy, Mommy...”, next thing she’ll ask would be “(the promised thing)!”. Never forget the promise! That’s a promise.
A child that lives with antagonism learns to be hostile – Its best not to punish their wrongdoings buy hurting them physically. They will think that it’s ok to hurt other people too.
A child that lives with affection learns to love. – A child that grows with hugs and kisses, likes hugs and kisses.  Our kid never forgets to kiss us both before leaving home to work.
A child that lives with encouragement learns confidence. – My 2-year old kid loves to write and draw and paint and... Whenever she wants me to draw something, I tell her to draw it herself. Now, she paints and draws for hours.
A child that lives with truth learns justice. – One time, I told my daughter that what she is doing might hurt somebody. Whenever she does that, I always ask her if she wants someone to be hurt because of what she is doing. Then, she will look at me straight in the eye with tears in her eyes, she readily apologizes.
A child that lives with praise learns to appreciate. – I think it is ok for now if my kid says, “Thanks...” and after one second she will also say, “Welcome!”
A child that lives with sharing learns to be considerate. – Whenever we give something to our eldest daughter, especially food, she will always tell us to give it to her younger sister, too. With toys, that is another story.
A child that lives with knowledge learns wisdom. – Teach your kids what you know. Don’t give them theories or inventing facts. You don’t want to tell them that the moon is a ball of cheese, do you? And that they change phases because space rats eat it.
A child that lives with patience learns to be tolerant. – I can say that my youngest is patient. She just waits for her food to come when she is in front of the TV; patiently watching her favourite cartoon shows.
A child that lives with happiness will find love and beauty. – We always make sure that even if we were dead-tired, we still make time to spend with them playing and having fun. Once every weekend, we bring them outside to the amusement parks, malls and zoos. Because the happiness of the children depends on us, parents. If they will find happiness not only on tangible things but simple life experiences they share with us, they will grow to accept, appreciate, be contended and thankful of what they are and what they have that they will not resort to mundane things in order to make themselves happy. That’s Our responsibility.
