Childhood is the age when one is most susceptible to influence. And therefore, the most important thing in education is the selection of things that can influence a child.
At present, most people are only fooling themselves that by professing Christianity they are adhering to Christian morality. In reality, they are following only pagan morality, and they make this morality the ideal of the younger generation’s education.
People are most susceptible to influence when they are young. Reasoning makes a thousand times less impact on them than an example.
And that is why all the preachings to children about how they should behave are futile and laughable when they see examples of the opposite.
A child’s religion depends on his parents’ actions, not their verbal instructions. The inner, subconscious ideal that moves their life—their faith—that is what affects a child; their words, their reprimands, punishments and even outbursts are for him nothing more than accidents. He can sense their faith, and he can sense it instinctively.
A child sees what we really are through the facade we wish to project; this is what gives children their reputation for physiognomy.
This is why the first principle of education is to educate yourself; and the first rule that must be followed in order to control a child’s will is to master your own.
— Amiel
It may be the case that adults tell children not to be cruel to animals and to defenseless creatures in general. But all a child has to do is enter a kitchen and he will immediately see chickens and geese that had been killed and plucked. What good are the beautiful discourses on morality to children when they are so clearly contradicted by the barbarous and immoral deeds of the adults, committed before their very eyes?
— Struve
Reducing one’s needs—that is what we should be teaching our youth by any means possible and what we should strive to reinforce. The less you need, the happier you are—an old truth, though not universally acknowledged.
— Lichtenberg
The inclination to pursue a life of pleasure is worse for a human being than any disaster that may befall him. This is why it is of the utmost importance that children learn to work from an early age.
— Kant
The most important things to teach children are moderation, simple living, work and charity. But how can one teach this when children see that their parents value wealth and its accumulation, prefer idleness to work and live in abundance among people in need?
The whole of children’s moral education boils down to a good example. Live well, or at least try to live well, and the measure of your success in leading a good life will dictate your success in educating your children.
