Child Quote by Olive Schreiner
“A child sees everything, looks straight at it, examines it, without any preconceived idea; most people, after they are about eleven or twelve, quite lose this power, they see everything through a few preconceived ideas which hang like a veil between them and the outer world.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner, 1883
Children perceive reality without filters, while adults develop mental constructs that obscure direct experience.
In simple terms: Kids see clearly; adults see through ideas.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate childlike openness.
Themes
perception
innocence
growth
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- education
- creative work
- mindfulness
- parenting
Key Concepts
psychology
developmental theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you shed preconceptions in daily life?
- What habits reinforce mental veils?
A Different Perspective
Adults can still practice deliberate unfiltered observation.
![“When someone has too much of a thought-out idea, that can be a big obstacle to get anywhere. Because it's like [if] you have a preconceived idea of what's going to happen in the studio in an hour's time, then you're not free anymore and you lock yourself into your own expectations. I don't think…” quote by Pontus Winnberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ff0/pontus-winnberg-86480_bigs_when-someone-has-too-much-of-a-thought-o_2519220.jpg)
