The unrealistic nature of these tales (which narrowminded rationalists object to) is an important device, because it makes obvious that the fairy tales’ concern is not useful information about the external world, but the inner process taking place in an… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
As Anna Freud remarked, the toddler who wanders off into some other aisle, feels lost, and screams anxiously for his mother neversays "I got lost," but accusingly says "You lost me!" It is a rare mother who agrees that she… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
The goal in raising one's child is to enable him, first, to discover who he wants to be, and then to become a person… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
The question for the child is not Do I want to be good? but Whom do I want to be like? — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
Raising children is a creative endeavor, an art rather than a science. — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
Since there are thousands of fairy tales, one may safely guess that there are probably equal numbers where the courage and determination of females… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
Not only is our love for our children sometimes tinged with annoyance, discouragement, and disappointment, the same is true for the love our children… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
To be a good enough parent one must be able to feel secure in one's parenthood, and one's relation to one's child...The security of… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
Parents ought, through their own behavior and the values by which they live, to provide direction for their children. But they need to rid… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
The child intuitively comprehends that although these stories are unreal, they are not untrue ... — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
No longer can we be satisfied with a life where the heart has its reasons which reason cannot know. Our hearts must know the… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
Plato--who may have understood better what forms the mind of man than do some of our contemporaries who want their children exposed only to… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
The good enough parent, in addition to being convinced that whatever his child does, he does it because at that moment he is convinced… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
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… — Bruno Bettelheim Copy Share Image
