--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When children are born, they have five…" description: "\"“When children are born, they have five natural characteristics that make them authentic human beings: children are valuable, vulnerable, imperfect, de..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/pia-mellody-90515_characteristics_when-children-are-born-they-have-five-na_2440667.jpg" --- # When children are born, they have five natural… ![“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…” quote by Pia Mellody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/pia-mellody-90515_characteristics_when-children-are-born-they-have-five-na_2440667.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/pia-mellody-90515_characteristics_when-children-are-born-they-have-five-na_2440667.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/pia-mellody-90515_characteristics_when-children-are-born-they-have-five-na_2440667.jpg) > ““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.”” [Pia Mellody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-mellody/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characteristics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/) [Child psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-psychology/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-qualities-485435/) [Functional Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/functional-family-485438/) [Functional Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/functional-parents-485437/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Traits Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traits-children-485436/) ## Related quotes > [If we go too far down the road of choosing the genetic traits of children, my worry is that parenting will be less a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sandel/if-we-go-too-far-down-the-road-of-choosing-the-genetic-traits-of/) [Michael Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sandel/) > [I think people should try to teach young children that these qualities - stubbornness and a capacity to listen - might look like they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/i-think-people-should-try-to-teach-young-children-that-these/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [I don't know that anyone comes from a truly functional family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/i-don-t-know-that-anyone-comes-from-a-truly-functional-family/) [Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/) > [In my own mind, we are a much happier and much more functional family and a much more well balanced group of individual s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-young/in-my-own-mind-we-are-a-much-happier-and-much-more-functional-family/) [James Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-young/) > [“Children who feel that they are unloved can believe that there must be something very wrong about them which makes them unacceptable. 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She had been deadened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-glass/the-world-was-not-a-place-she-could-enjoy-like-any-normal-child-it/) [Cathy Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-glass/) > [“Children develop dysfunction when their development is disrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunda-frey/children-develop-dysfunction-when-their-development-is-disrupted/) [Gunda Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunda-frey/) > [“While reliving trauma is dramatic, frightening, and potentially self-destructive, over time a lack of presence can be even more damaging. This is a particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-van-der-kolk/while-reliving-trauma-is-dramatic-frightening-and-potentially-self/) [Bessel Van Der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-van-der-kolk/) > [“Let your children nourish their knack, for that knack shall one day provide them with the way to live with dignity and contentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/let-your-children-nourish-their-knack-for-that-knack-shall-one-day/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“You don’t need to teach your child to be calm — you need to show how to stay centered even in chaos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajnish-kumar-mishra/you-don-t-need-to-teach-your-child-to-be-calm-you-need-to-show-how-to/) [Rajnish Kumar Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajnish-kumar-mishra/) > [“More than Captain America your kids need Amelia Earhart – more than Ant Man, they need Abraham Lincoln - more than Green Arrow they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/more-than-captain-america-your-kids-need-amelia-earhart-more-than-ant/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) ## More by Pia Mellody > [“A healthy boundary creates controlled vulnerability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-mellody/a-healthy-boundary-creates-controlled-vulnerability/) [Pia Mellody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-mellody/) [Explore all 2 Pia Mellody quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-mellody/) ## More Characteristics quotes > [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [“What makes a good leader? 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What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. 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