Quotes About Understanding

Connection can take many forms. It can be as simple as saying "I love you and the answer is no

Positive Discipline is built on teaching, understanding, encouraging, and communicating—not on punishing. Punishment is intended to make children "pay" for what they have done. Discipline is designed to help children learn from what they have done.

Often adults fail to realize that they simply can't reason with a toddler and thus they spend more time talking than acting. No matter how well you use them, words are often little more than sounds to young children. Actions, like removing a child from a forbidden temptation by picking him up and carrying him to another location, provide an unmistakable message.

The best way to be sure a tiny person realizes that you are talking to her is to make eye contact. Get down on her level, look into those curious eyes, and speak directly to her.

Children do cooperate (most of the time, at least) when they're involved in finding solutions to problems; they will understand "no" when they are developmentally ready; and they listen when parents listen to them and talk in ways that invite listening. Problems are solved more easily when parents use kind and firm guidance until children are old enough to be involved in the process of creating limits and focusing on solutions.

He's not deliberately trying to drive you insane; he's either exploring at his age-appropriate level or learning about consistency and making sure adults mean what they say (an important part of trust).

Understanding the belief behind behavior. All human behavior happens for a reason, and children start creating the beliefs that form their personality from the day they are born. You will be far more effective at changing your child's behavior when you understand the beliefs behind it.

Understanding child development and age-appropriateness. This is necessary so that parents don't expect behavior of children that is beyond their ability and comprehension.

Effective communication. Parents and children (even little ones) can learn to listen well and use respectful words to ask for what they need.

Children learn respect by seeing what it looks like in action.

Don't expect a child to do something "right now" when you are interrupting something she is thoroughly engaged in. Give her some warning. "We need to leave the park in two minutes. Do you want to swing one more time

Do your best to be empathetic when your child cries (or has a temper tantrum). He may just be frustrated with his lack of abilities.

This may mean redirecting your child or showing her what she can do instead of punishing her for what she can't do. It also might mean wordlessly removing a child from the slide when she refuses to leave, rather than getting into an argument or a battle of wills.

French-English

For someone so very good at math, it's stunning to discover how you struggle with single digits.

Dreaming or awake, we perceive only events that have meaning to us.

If toes had eyes, then I could see how my feet know where to go, but toes are blind. And how is it that my tongue speaks words it cannot hear? Because for all its eloquence, the tongue itself is deaf, and flaps in soundlessness.

You would be much better off in reading this book if you asked yourself who you are, rather than asked who I am, for you cannot understand what I am unless you understand the nature of personality and the characteristics of consciousness.

You cannot understand what makes things live when you must first rob their life. And so when man learned to categorize, number and dissect nature, he lost its living quality and no longer felt a part of it.

I'm not involved in the politics of religion, but I love what the message is.

English majors understand human nature better than economists do.

I learned why 'out riding alone' is an oxymoron: An equestrian is never alone, is always sensing the other being, the mysterious but also understandable living being that is the horse.

Respect and fear are two different things.

I suspected that there were things he knew that I had been waiting all my life to learn.