Children Quote by Edith Nesbit
““Grown-up people find it difficult to believe really wonderful things, unless they have what they call proof. But children will believe almost anything, and grown-ups know this. That is why they tell you that the earth is round like an orange, when you can see perfectly well that it is flat and lumpy; and why they say that the earth goes round the sun, when you can see for yourself any day that the sun gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night like a good sun as it is, and the earth knows its place, and lies as still as a mouse. Yet I daresay you believe all that about the earth and the sun, and if so you will find it quite easy to believe that before Anthea and Cyril and the others had been a week in the country they had found a fairy.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Story of the Amulet by Edith Nesbit, 1906
Adults often demand proof for wondrous ideas, while children accept them easily, leading adults to dismiss fantastical beliefs despite evidence.
In simple terms: Adults need proof, children accept wonder.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions and stay open to wonder.
Themes
imagination
skepticism
belief
childhood
adult perspective
Mood
curious
reflective
playful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- education
- parenting
- creative writing
- science communication
- critical thinking
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
faith
perception
mythology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does proof shape belief?
- When should we trust intuition over evidence?
A Different Perspective
Adults may overlook truth when dismissing imagination.
