Believe Quote by David Elkind
“Modern children were considerably less innocent than parents and the larger society supposed, and postmodern children are less competent than their parents and the society as a whole would like to believe. . . . The perception of childhood competence has shifted much of the responsibility for child protection and security from parents and society to children themselves.”
About This Quote
Modern children are perceived as less innocent and competent, shifting child protection responsibility onto them.
In simple terms: Children seen as less innocent, shifting protection responsibility onto them.
Key Takeaway
Balance responsibility between adults and children.
Themes
childhood
responsibility
societal expectations
Mood
concerned
critical
Type
analytical
commentary
When to use this quote
- parenting
- education policy
- child welfare
- community safety
Key Concepts
developmental psychology
social change
Questions to Reflect On
- How can society support children without overburdening them?
- What role should adults play in child protection?
A Different Perspective
Overburdening children can hinder healthy development.
![“We often treat children as if they're not very competent to do anything on their own. So we make them stop learning in a natural way - by exploring. Logo [the computer programming language ] allows them to find their way around the computer, as they would find their way around the house…” quote by Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a37/seymour-papert-12175_bureaucracy_we-often-treat-children-as-if-they-re-no_185813.jpg)
