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Quotes about children

143 quotes from 103 people

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The sooner you treat him as a man, the sooner he will begin to be one.
John Locke1632–1704Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1693), Sec. 95
- Maturity
When we are children we seldom think of the future. This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind.
Patrick Rothfussborn 1973The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 12, “Puzzle Pieces Fitting” (p. 88)
- Youth
A child, not knowing what is extraordinary and what is commonplace, usually lights midway between the two, finds interest in incidents adults consider beneath notice, and calmly accepts the most improbable occurrences.
Gene Wolfe1931–2019“The Fifth Head of Cerberus”, Orbit 10 (1972)
Every child is in a way a genius; and every genius is in a way a child.
Arthur Schopenhauer1788–1860The World as Will and Representation, vol. 2, ch. 31 (“On Genius”)
- Genius
Parents should leave books lying around marked “forbidden” if they want their children to read.
Doris Lessing1919–2013Interview with Amanda Craig, “Grand dame of letters who’s not going quietly”, The Times (London, 23 November 2003, reprinted 3 June 2004)
- Reading
I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things.
Walt Disney1901–1966Deeds Rather Than Words (1963)
I am afraid we must make the world honest before we can honestly tell our children that honesty is the best policy.
George Bernard Shaw1856–1950“Rungs of the Ladder”, BBC Radio broadcast (11 July 1932)
- Truth & Lies
Wouldn’t it be great if we all grew up to be what we wanted to be? The world would be full of nurses, firemen, and ballerinas.
Lily Tomlinborn 1939Saturday Night Live (1975)
- Comedy
Because class oppression of women and children is couched in the phraseology of “cute” it is much harder to fight than open oppression.
SFShulamith Firestone1945–2012The Dialectic of Sex (1970), ch. 4
- Women
With every word we utter, with every action we take, we know our kids are watching us. We as parents are their most important role models.
Michelle Obamaborn 19642016 Democratic National Convention (2016)
- Family
People talk vaguely about the innocence of a little child, but they take mighty good care not to let it out of their sight for twenty minutes.
Saki1870–1916Reginald (1904)
- Comedy
We can be the generation that no longer accepts that an accident of latitude determines whether a child lives or dies. But will we be that generation?
Bonoborn 1960Foreword to The End of Poverty (2005) by Jeffrey Sachs
- Life & Death
When Margaret grows up she will have a daughter, who is to be Peter’s mother in turn; and thus it will go on, so long as children are gay and innocent and heartless.
J. M. Barrie1860–1937Peter Pan (1911), Peter and Wendy (1911), Ch. 17In context
Folklore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous and manifestly unreal.
L. Frank Baum1856–1919The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), IntroductionIn context
When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sake. But don’t make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults, and evasion simply muddles ‘em.
Harper Lee1926–2016To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), Pt. 1, Ch. 9 (Atticus Finch)
- Advice