WIST QuotationsApr 29

A quotation from Steven Levitt

No one is more susceptible to an experts fearmongering than a parent. Fear is in fact a major component of the act of parenting. A parent, after all, is the steward of another creature’s life, a creature who in the beginning is more helpless than the newborn of nearly any other species. This leads a lot of parents to spend a lot of their parenting energy simply being scared.

Steven Levitt (b. 1967) American economist and author
Freakonomics, ch. 5 “What Makes A Perfect Parent?” (2005) [with Stephen Dubner]

More about this quote: wist.info/levitt-steven/69301/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #freakonomics #advice #childraising #childrearing #children #fear #fearmongering #parent #parenting #protection #responsibility #scare

Levitt, Steven - Freakonomics, ch. 5 "What Makes A Perfect Parent?" (2005) [with Stephen Dubner] | WIST Quotations

No one is more susceptible to an experts fearmongering than a parent. Fear is in fact a major component of the act of parenting. A parent, after all, is the steward of another creature's life, a creature who in the beginning is more helpless than the newborn of nearly any…

WIST Quotations
דער קערפער פֿון השםApr 23

"For the longest time, guides about raising #children had a long shelf life. Had #Rashi written a commentary on how to raise children in 1080, it would likely be just as relevant in 1580.

In contrast to past decades when #parenting guides remained relevant for generations, today’s society changes so quickly that old #childrearing advice often loses value. This shift is evident in Inside the #Teenage Mind: Raising an #Orthodox #Teen in the 21st Century (#MosaicaPress) by #Rabbi #DavidSchlusselberg, a book that addresses the unique challenges parents face in raising Orthodox #teenagers today."

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/book-review-inside-the-teenage-mind/

WIST QuotationsMar 11

A quotation from Jung

Nothing exerts a stronger psychic effect upon the human environment, and especially upon children, than the life which the parents have not lived.

Carl Jung (1875-1961) Swiss psychologist
Lecture (1929-06), “Paracelsus,” Literary Club of Zurich, Paracelsus House, Einsiedeln, Schwyz, Switzerland [tr. Hull (1966)]

More about this quote: wist.info/jung-carl/82671/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #carljung #jung #childrearing #children #environment #household #parenting #parents #potential #regret #upbringing #potential #mighthavebeen #whatif

Jung, Carl - Lecture (1929-06), "Paracelsus," Literary Club of Zurich, Paracelsus House, Einsiedeln, Schwyz, Switzerland [tr. Hull (1966)] | WIST Quotations

Nothing exerts a stronger psychic effect upon the human environment, and especially upon children, than the life which the parents have not lived. (Publication notes.) Collected in The Spirit in Man, Art, and Literature, Part 1, "Paracelsus," ¶ 3 (1929).

WIST Quotations
WIST QuotationsMar 3

A quotation from Bertrand Russell

If you tell children that they ought to be affectionate, you run the risk of producing cant and humbug. But if you make them happy and free, if you surround them with kindness, you will find that they become spontaneously friendly with everybody, and that almost everybody responds by being friendly with them. A trustful affectionate disposition justifies itself, because it gives irresistible charm, and creates the response which it expects. This is one of the most important results to be expected from the right education of character.

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) English mathematician and philosopher
Education and the Good Life, Part 2, ch. 11 “Affection and Sympathy” (1926)

More about this quote: wist.info/russell-bertrand/824…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #bertrandrussell #affection #character #childrearing #children #education #goodexample #instruction #kindness #learning #parenting #setanexample

Russell, Bertrand - Education and the Good Life, Part 2, ch. 11 "Affection and Sympathy" (1926) | WIST Quotations

If you tell children that they ought to be affectionate, you run the risk of producing cant and humbug. But if you make them happy and free, if you surround them with kindness, you will find that they become spontaneously friendly with everybody, and that almost everybody responds by being…

WIST Quotations
WIST QuotationsMar 2

A quotation from Jean Kerr

We are being very careful with our children. They’ll never have to pay a psychiatrist twenty-five dollars an hour to find out why we rejected them. We’ll tell them why we rejected them. Because they’re impossible, that’s why.

Jean Kerr (1922-2003) American author and playwright [b. Bridget Jean Collins]
Essay (1957), “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies,” Please Don’t Eat the Daisies

More about this quote: wist.info/kerr-jean/82455/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #jeankerr #childrearing #children #parenting #psychiatrist #rejection #trauma

Kerr, Jean - Essay (1957), "Please Don't Eat the Daisies," Please Don’t Eat the Daisies | WIST Quotations

We are being very careful with our children. They'll never have to pay a psychiatrist twenty-five dollars an hour to find out why we rejected them. We'll tell them why we rejected them. Because they're impossible, that's why.

WIST Quotations
WIST QuotationsFeb 25

A quotation from Norman F. Dixon

The values communicated by status-insecure parents are such that their children learn to put personal success and the acquisition of power above all else. They are taught to judge people for their usefulness rather than their likableness. Their friends, and even future marriage partners, are selected and used in the service of personal advancement; love and affection take second place to knowing the right people. They are taught to eschew weaknesses and passivity, to respect authority, and to despise those who have not made the socio-economic grade. Success is equated with social esteem and material advantage, rather than with more spiritual values.

Norman F. Dixon (1922-2013) British cognitive psychologist, author, military engineer
On the Psychology of Military Incompetence, Part 2, ch. 22 “Authoritarianism” (1976)

More about this quote: wist.info/dixon-norman/82301/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #normanfdixon #advancement #advantage #aspirations #authority #childrearing #esteem #goals #insecurity #motivation #parenting #people #power #status #strength #success #transactionalism #utility #values

Dixon, Norman F. - On the Psychology of Military Incompetence, Part 2, ch. 22 "Authoritarianism" (1976) | WIST Quotations

The values communicated by status-insecure parents are such that their children learn to put personal success and the acquisition of power above all else. They are taught to judge people for their usefulness rather than their likableness. Their friends, and even future marriage partners, are selected and used in the…

WIST Quotations
WIST QuotationsFeb 18

A quotation from Simone de Beauvoir

It’s frightening to think that you mark your children merely by being yourself.
 
[C’est effrayant de penser qu’on marque ses enfants rien que par ce qu’on est.]

Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) French author, existentialist philosopher, feminist theorist
Les Belles Images, ch. 3 (1966) [tr. O’Brian (1968)]

More about this quote: wist.info/beauvoir-simone-de/8…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #simonedebeauvoir #beyourself #candor #childrearing #children #honesty #impact #parenting

Beauvoir, Simone de - Les Belles Images, ch. 3 (1966) [tr. O'Brian (1968)] | WIST Quotations

It's frightening to think that you mark your children merely by being yourself. [C’est effrayant de penser qu’on marque ses enfants rien que par ce qu’on est.] (Source (French))

WIST Quotations
Queen 1066Jan 29

So we now have #fafo as the new buzz for rearing children. It means ‘fuck around and find out’.

They say it is ‘new’ but it has always been there for parents who don’t do buzz. Of course now it is ‘buzz’ and a social media thing it will focus on cruelty as apposed to boundries. #childrearing #parenting

Oh yes I have always done it. Eddie Murphy’s mum did it. Gosh there are many mothers who have done it.

WIST QuotationsDec 21

A quotation from Anna Quindlen

If being a parent consists often of passing along chunks of ourselves to unwitting — often unwilling — recipients, then books are, for me, one of the simplest and most sure-fire ways of doing that. I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.

Anna Quindlen (b. 1953) American journalist, novelist
Article (1991-08-07), “Public & Private: Enough Bookshelves,” New York Times

More about this quote: wist.info/quindlen-anna/10605/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #AnnaQuindlen #books #childrearing #children #decorating #library #parenting #reading

Article (1991-08-07), "Public & Private: Enough Bookshelves," New York Times - Quindlen, Anna | WIST Quotations

If being a parent consists often of passing along chunks of ourselves to unwitting -- often unwilling -- recipients, then books are, for me, one of the simplest and most sure-fire ways of doing that. I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of…

WIST Quotations
WIST Quotations Has Moved!Nov 17, 2025

A quotation from G. K. Chesterson

For there are two ways of dealing with nonsense in this world. One way is to put nonsense in the right place; as when people put nonsense into nursery rhymes. The other is to put nonsense in the wrong place; as when they put it into educational addresses, psychological criticisms, and complaints against nursery rhymes or other normal amusements of mankind.

Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) English journalist and writer
Essay (1921-10-15), “Child Psychology and Nonsense,” closing words, Illustrated London News, “Our Notebook” column

More info about this quote: wist.info/chesterton-gilbert-k…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #chesterton #gkchesterton #academia #amusement #childpsychology #childrearing #literature #education #fun #imagination #nonsense #nurseryrhymes #pedagogy #pomposity #psychology

Essay (1921-10-15), "Child Psychology and Nonsense," closing words, Illustrated London News, "Our Notebook" column - Chesterton, Gilbert Keith | WIST Quotations

For there are two ways of dealing with nonsense in this world. One way is to put nonsense in the right place; as when people put nonsense into nursery rhymes. The other is to put nonsense in the wrong place; as when they put it into educational addresses, psychological criticisms,…

WIST Quotations