Nice comment by "Amarilla" on "Teach Your Children? Please Don't!" & PL's response

Amarilla:

"You have so much more trust in kids than she does. Not only does she lack respect for a child's innate sensitivity, she's scared of children. She's not the only one. Children can be so irrational! Especially when, like my 3 year old, they go through phases where they want to argue with you about all the things that to you seem so obvious. I relate to her fear, and I relate to your trust.
It's not always easy to have faith in the wisdom of a child or in oneself for that matter. A lot of us are scared of kids and what they might become. A lot of us are scared of ourselves and what we might become (if we don't go to the gym!)
It's a good and complicated challenge you are outlining here."

PL:

Thanks, Amarilla - I agree and I agree and I agree. Many, many parents have a very hard time understanding the negative underlying messages they are actually giving to children. Indoctrination is indoctrination and it can't be good.

Here's a beautiful passage from Kalhil Gibran:

"Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let our bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable."