Anthropology Quote by Rebekah Martin
““Ri, here's a question for you,” Stella started. She opened it up to everyone else, as well. “When do your kids stop being pets and start being people?” The room went silent, except for Gloria trying to stifle her giggles. Stella looked around and felt pleased that she'd gotten the desired reaction. “What are you talking about? How could you call children pets?” Shannon demanded before Bernadette had the chance to. “No, this is an honest question.” Stella insisted. “You have them, you name them. They're helpless, and you teach, or train, them. Feed them, water them, whatever. And as they grow up, you just hope that they grow up well and don't spend their time clawing your nice sofa or humping your leg." Stella, "Sugar and Spies: Spy Sisters Book 1””
About This Quote
Source Book: Sugar and Spies: Spy Sisters Book 1, 2022
The quote questions how children are treated as possessions, urging recognition of their autonomy as they mature.
In simple terms: Children should be seen as people, not pets.
Key Takeaway
Respect children’s growing independence.
Themes
parenting
autonomy
growth
respect
Mood
thoughtful
critical
empathetic
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- family discussions
- parenting workshops
- school curricula
- child advocacy
- media analysis
Key Concepts
human rights
developmental psychology
ethical treatment
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance guidance with respecting a child’s personhood?
- What societal norms reinforce treating children as “pets”?
A Different Perspective
It may oversimplify complex parent‑child dynamics and cultural differences.
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
