Ability Quote by Donald Woods Winnicott
“If mothers are told to do this or that or the other,... they lose touch with their own ability to act… Only too easily they feel incompetent. If they must look up everything in a book, they are always too late even when they do the right things, because the right things have to be done immediately. It is only possible to act at exactly the right point when the action is intuitive or by instinct, as we say. The mind can be brought to bear on the problem afterwards.”
About This Quote
Mothers who rely too much on external guidance lose confidence in their instinctive actions, leading to delayed or ineffective responses; intuition should guide immediate action, with analysis later.
In simple terms: Over‑reliance on manuals undermines maternal instinct.
Key Takeaway
Trust intuition, then reflect.
Themes
parenting
intuition
confidence
Mood
supportive
practical
Type
parenting
psychological
When to use this quote
- childcare
- emergency response
- skill development
- self‑trust training
Key Concepts
instinctive action
decision making
maternal role
Questions to Reflect On
- How can mothers balance instinct and knowledge?
- When should reflection follow action?
A Different Perspective
Intuition can be delayed by over‑analysis, reducing effectiveness.
![“I have been almost overwhelmed by the announcement of the sad event [Lincoln's assassination] which has so recently occurred. I feel incompetent to perform duties so important and responsible as those which have been so unexpectedly thrown upon me.” quote by Andrew Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c2a/andrew-johnson-15306_announcements_i-have-been-almost-overwhelmed-by-the-an_3213959.jpg)
