--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We teach our children one thing only, as…" description: "\"“We teach our children one thing only, as we were taught: to wake up,\" claims Annie Dillard. That's just about the whole truth, a parent's incantation...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/barbara-kingsolver-200_beauty_we-teach-our-children-one-thing-only-as_2596983.png" --- # We teach our children one thing only, as we were taught… ![“We teach our children one thing only, as we were taught: to wake up," claims Annie Dillard. That's just about the whole truth, a parent's incantation. Wake up, keep breathing, look alive. It's only by forming separateness and volition that our children relieve us of the deepest parental dread…” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/barbara-kingsolver-200_beauty_we-teach-our-children-one-thing-only-as_2596983.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/barbara-kingsolver-200_beauty_we-teach-our-children-one-thing-only-as_2596983.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/barbara-kingsolver-200_beauty_we-teach-our-children-one-thing-only-as_2596983.png) > ““We teach our children one thing only, as we were taught: to wake up," claims Annie Dillard. That's just about the whole truth, a parent's incantation. Wake up, keep breathing, look alive. It's only by forming separateness and volition that our children relieve us of the deepest parental dread: that they might somehow NOT wake up, after all, but fail to thrive and grow, remaining like Sleeping Beauty in the locked glass case of a wordless infancy. (Chaos, Wonder and the Spiritual Adventure of Parenting Anthology)”” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parents must awaken children to life, encouraging independence to avoid fear of them remaining stagnant. **In simple terms:** Wake children up to live fully. Key Takeaway Encourage autonomy and curiosity. Themes parenting awakening independence Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - family life - education - personal development Key Concepts existentialism growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - What balance of guidance and freedom works best? - How does awakening differ from pressure? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on independence can neglect support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [Every morning that I wake up and I'm breathing, I can feel it and take a moment to say, you know, 'Thank God I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-cephas-jones/every-morning-that-i-wake-up-and-i-m-breathing-i-can-feel-it-and-take/) [Ron Cephas Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-cephas-jones/) > [We teach our children one thing only, as we were taught: to wake up. 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