Characteristics Quote by Pia Mellody
““When children are born, they have five natural characteristics that make them authentic human beings: children are valuable, vulnerable, imperfect, dependent, and immature. All children are born with these attributes. Functional parents help their children to develop each separate characteristic properly, so that they arrive in adulthood as mature, functional adults who feel good about themselves. In addition, children have three other qualities that make it possible for them to mature properly or to survive and cope in spite of remarkable abuse: (1) children must be centered on themselves to develop internally; (2) they are full of boundless energy in order to do the very hard work of growing up; and (3) they are adaptable, so that they can easily go through the maturation process that requires constant adjusting and change. A functional family accepts these traits in their children and supports the children as they move through each stage of development.””
About This Quote
Children possess innate traits that, when nurtured, lead to mature, functional adults; functional families support this growth.
In simple terms: Kids have natural traits needing support.
Key Takeaway
Support children's development at each stage.
Themes
parenting
development
vulnerability
growth
resilience
Mood
supportive
educational
Type
advice
statement
When to use this quote
- parenting workshops
- child counseling
- family therapy
Key Concepts
psychology
family dynamics
human development
Questions to Reflect On
- How can parents balance guidance and autonomy?
- What supports help children adapt?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on traits may ignore individual differences.
![“[Joseph] Stalin closes the exposition of these [Leon Trotsky] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of [Vladimir] Lenin's conception of the proletarian revolution."” quote by Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/240/leon-trotsky-2558_characteristics_joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-t_33931.jpg)
