“The greatest crime that society commits is that of wasting the money which it should use for children on things that will destroy them and society itself….” (p.214, para.1)

Thoughts after reading Part III. 30. The Rights of the Child

Maria demands that society set its priorities straight.  The child is the most important investment in the future of our world, yet often budgetary and funding choices within the home or government do not show this.  So many lives could be changed if more effort was placed on creating the proper environment for children to prosper in the home and at school.  Parents should be prepared for the great responsibility of child rearing, understanding their responsibility goes beyond just the physical health of their child.  The greatest thing a parent can do is love their child beyond their own self, placing their needs beyond their own.  This does not mean catering and being a slave to your child’s whim.  It means thinking about was is best for your child.  Do your research, seek to understand the child, become an observer and respond to their natural development that is unfolding before you.

I have now completed Maria Montessori’s Secret of Childhood.  I hope you have enjoyed this journey with me. I look forward to my next read:  The Discovery of the Child.

Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 209-216). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)