What cannot be talked about cannot be put to rest. And if it is not, the wounds will fester from generation to generation.
Bruno BettelheimRead
The fear of failure is so great, it is no wonder that the desire to do right by one's children has led to a whole library of books offering advice on how to raise them
Interpretation
What this quote means
Parents often worry about failing in raising their children, which has resulted in a multitude of resources dedicated to parenting advice.
Bruno Bettelheim highlights the immense pressure that parents feel regarding the upbringing of their children. This fear of failing to provide the best possible guidance leads to an overwhelming amount of literature and resources aimed at helping parents navigate the complexities of child-rearing.
Themes
ParentingFailureChildrenAdvicePressure
In practice
Example use cases
Sharing this quote during a parenting seminar to illustrate the pressures parents face.
More from Bruno Bettelheim
All quotes →Raising children is a creative endeavor, an art rather than a science.
Bruno BettelheimRead
The delight we experience when we allow ourselves to respond to a fairy tale, the enchantment we feel, comes not from the psychological meaning of the tale (although this contributes to it) but from its literary qualities-the tale itself as a work of art.
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Punishment may make us obey the orders we are given, but at best it will only teach an obedience to authority, not a self-control which enhances our self-respect.
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Not only is our love for our children sometimes tinged with annoyance, discouragement, and disappointment, the same is true for the love our children feel for us.
Bruno BettelheimRead
The ability to read becomes devalued when what one has learned to read adds nothing of importance to one's life.
Bruno BettelheimRead
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