Volume 1 - Chapter 4 Despising the Children and Chapter 5 Hindering the Children

In what ways do we belittle our children? In what ways do we injure their love for learning?

• When we talk down to them as if they can’t understand.
• When we give them “babyish” or shallow books instead of rich, living ones.
• When we ignore their thoughts or don’t listen seriously to their questions.
• When we assume they can’t handle truth, beauty, or big ideas.

So guilty about some of these.  I have been battling myself not to do this for te longest and still not fully successful. 


Chapter 4 – Despising the Children - Respect children’s minds; don’t give them watered-down learning.

• Despising children = underestimating them.

  • Happens when adults think children can’t understand much.

  • We give them “dumbed down” ideas, empty facts, or boring lessons.

• Children deserve real, rich ideas.

  • Don’t feed them twaddle (shallow, meaningless stuff).

  • Give them living books, stories, nature, art, truth.

• Respect their minds.

  • A child’s mind is just as alive and capable as an adult’s — just smaller and still growing.

My Takeaway: 

Never underestimate children. Feed them rich and noble ideas, not watered-down nonsense.

Chapter 5 – Hindering the Children - Don’t get in their way; let them grow, think, and discover freely.

• We hinder children when we get in the way of their growth.

  • Over-teaching or doing everything for them.

  • Not letting them think, imagine, or discover on their own.

• Don’t rush or overload.

  • Forcing too much, too fast, can crush their curiosity.

  • Give time and space to wonder and process.

• Encourage independence.

• Guide gently, but let them make connections themselves.

• Allow mistakes, questions, and exploration.

My Takeaway: 

Don’t block your child’s natural growth by over-controlling. 

Respect their pace and let them explore, discover, and think for themselves.

Our children’s minds are capable of great things. We must not treat them as if they are small and unable, giving them shallow lessons. Instead, we feed them truth, beauty, and real knowledge. And we must not hold them back by doing too much for them — we guide, but also let them wonder, think, and grow at their own pace.