Action Quote by C. Sommerville
“Without a sense of the shame or guilt of his or her action, the child will only be hardened in rebellion by physical punishment. Shame (and praise) help the child to internalize the parent's judgment. It impresses upon the child that the parent is not only more powerful but also right. Like the Puritans, Locke (in 1690), wanted the child to adopt the parent's moral position, rather than simply bow to superior strength or social pressure.”
About This Quote
Children need moral guidance through shame and praise, not just physical punishment, to internalize right behavior.
In simple terms: Shame and praise guide children’s morals.
Key Takeaway
Use emotional feedback, not force.
Themes
parenting
morality
discipline
Mood
concerned
reflective
Type
advice
educational
When to use this quote
- family upbringing
- school discipline
- behavioral therapy
- child development
Key Concepts
social learning
internalization
authority
Questions to Reflect On
- How can parents balance shame and encouragement?
- What alternatives to physical punishment foster moral growth?
A Different Perspective
Physical punishment alone may cause rebellion without moral understanding.
![“Quintilian [educational writer in Rome around A.D. 100] thought that the earliest years of the child's life were crucial. Education should start earlier than age seven, within the family. It should not be so hard as to give the child an aversion to learning. Rather, these early lessons would take…” quote by C. Sommerville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cce/c-sommerville-39957_age_quintilian-educational-writer-in-rome-ar_1241305.jpg)
![“[17th-century] Puritans were the first modern parents. Like many of us, they looked on their treatment of children as a test of their own self-control. Their goal was not to simply to ensure the child's duty to the family, but to help him or her make personal, individual commitments. They were the…” quote by C. Sommerville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a63/c-sommerville-39957_17th-century_17th-century-puritans-were-the-first-mod_1946579.jpg)
