---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Children need encouragement like plants…"
description: "\"Children need encouragement like plants need water\" — Rudolf Dreikurs"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_children_children-need-encouragement-like-plants_1281132.png"
---

#  Children need encouragement like plants need water

![“Children need encouragement like plants need water” quote by Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_children_children-need-encouragement-like-plants_1281132.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_children_children-need-encouragement-like-plants_1281132.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_children_children-need-encouragement-like-plants_1281132.png)

> “Children need encouragement like plants need water”

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Children need encouragement just as plants need water to thrive.

**In simple terms:** Encouragement is essential for children’s growth.

Key Takeaway

Provide consistent positive support.

Themes

parenting growth nurture

Mood

caring guiding

Type

supportive balanced

When to use this quote

- school
- home environment
- extracurricular activities

Key Concepts

motivation developmental psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance encouragement with challenge?
- What forms of support best foster independence?

A Different Perspective

Overpraise can reduce resilience.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [Need encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-encouragement/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/)

## Related quotes

> [A child needs encouragement like a plant needs water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/a-child-needs-encouragement-like-a-plant-needs-water/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [“roses are no more difficult to grow than any other shrub or flower. But just as other plants need”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-oster/roses-are-no-more-difficult-to-grow-than-any-other-shrub-or-flower/)

[Maggie Oster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-oster/)

> [As some species of plants need to be burned to the ground in order for them to later flourish, I needed to have my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xeno-muller/as-some-species-of-plants-need-to-be-burned-to-the-ground-in-order/)

[Xeno Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xeno-muller/)

> [Like flowers and plants, we too need ground under our feet, warmth and sunshine and food for our spirit, protective boundaries, tending and care,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/like-flowers-and-plants-we-too-need-ground-under-our-feet-warmth-and/)

[Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/)

> [“My master’s degree in botany makes me pretty sure plants need wet dirt to grow in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-weir/my-master-s-degree-in-botany-makes-me-pretty-sure-plants-need-wet/)

[Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-weir/)

> [What men and women need is encouragement. Their natural resisting powers should be strengthened, not weakened ... Instead of always harping on a man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-men-and-women-need-is-encouragement-their-natural-resisting/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You dont need encouragement, you need courage. Dont think¦.DO!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/obsidian-panther/you-dont-need-encouragement-you-need-courage-dont-think-do/)

[Obsidian Panther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/obsidian-panther/)

> [There is rampant among us a spirit of criticism. Men and women who carry heavy responsibility do not need criticism, they need encouragement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/there-is-rampant-among-us-a-spirit-of-criticism-men-and-women-who/)

[Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/)

> [How do you identify someone who needs encouragement? That person is breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/how-do-you-identify-someone-who-needs-encouragement-that-person-is/)

[S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/)

> [If you are a leader, you should never forget that everyone needs encouragement. And everyone who receives it - young or old, successful or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/if-you-are-a-leader-you-should-never-forget-that-everyone-needs/)

[John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/)

> [If you explore beneath shyness or party chit-chat, you can sometimes turn a dull exchange into an intriguing one. I've found this to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/if-you-explore-beneath-shyness-or-party-chit-chat-you-can-sometimes/)

[Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/)

> [There are seeds of happiness in every soul. Our mental attitude and dispositions constitute the environment in which these seeds germinate. There is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/there-are-seeds-of-happiness-in-every-soul-our-mental-attitude-and/)

[David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/)

> [God does not dispense strength and encouragement like a druggist fills your prescription. The Lord doesn't promise to give us something to take so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/god-does-not-dispense-strength-and-encouragement-like-a-druggist/)

[Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/)

> [“Encouragement is like water to the soul, it makes everything grow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-burkmenn/encouragement-is-like-water-to-the-soul-it-makes-everything-grow/)

[Chris Burkmenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-burkmenn/)

> [I'm somebody who finds adversity is almost as good as encouragement. It's almost like, you close the door, and I'll find ten ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-warren/i-m-somebody-who-finds-adversity-is-almost-as-good-as-encouragement/)

[Diane Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-warren/)

## More by Rudolf Dreikurs

> [We can change our whole life and attitude of the people around us simply by changing ourselves..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/we-can-change-our-whole-life-and-attitude-of-the-people-around-us/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [When a child makes a mistake or fails to accomplish a certain goal, we must avoid any word or action which indicates that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/when-a-child-makes-a-mistake-or-fails-to-accomplish-a-certain-goal-we/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [A misbehaving child, is a discouraged child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/a-misbehaving-child-is-a-discouraged-child/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [“The wish to gain complete possession of somebody is expressed most plainly by jealousy. Jealousy is never a sign of love. It only indicates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/the-wish-to-gain-complete-possession-of-somebody-is-expressed-most/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [We cannot protect our children from life. Therefore, it is essential to prepare them for it. Feeling sorry for children is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/we-cannot-protect-our-children-from-life-therefore-it-is-essential-to/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [The complaints which anyone voices against his mate indicate exactly the qualities which stimulated attraction before marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/the-complaints-which-anyone-voices-against-his-mate-indicate-exactly/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [A child needs encouragement like a plant needs water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/a-child-needs-encouragement-like-a-plant-needs-water/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [A great many people fall in love with or feel attracted to a person who offers the least possibility of a harmonious union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/a-great-many-people-fall-in-love-with-or-feel-attracted-to-a-person/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [We cannot protect our children from life. Therefore, it is essential that we prepare them for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/we-cannot-protect-our-children-from-life-therefore-it-is-essential/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [Man does not see reality as it is, but only as he perceives it, and his perception may be mistaken or biased.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/man-does-not-see-reality-as-it-is-but-only-as-he-perceives-it-and-his/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [Perfection never exists in reality, but only in our dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-only-in-our-dreams/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [When children are allowed to help make family decisions, they tend to be much more supportive and happier with family life. Also when allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/when-children-are-allowed-to-help-make-family-decisions-they-tend-to/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [We can change our whole life and the attitude of people around us simply by changing ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/we-can-change-our-whole-life-and-the-attitude-of-people-around-us/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

> [Whoever alters a person's expectations changes his behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/whoever-alters-a-person-s-expectations-changes-his-behavior/)

[Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

[Explore all 15 Rudolf Dreikurs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/)

## More Children quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/)

[Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/)

> [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/)

[Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/)

> [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/)

[Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/)

> [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/)

[Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/)

[Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/)

> [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

[Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Children need encouragement like plants need water",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rudolf Dreikurs"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/children-need-encouragement-like-plants-need-water/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Children"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/children-need-encouragement-like-plants-need-water/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_children_children-need-encouragement-like-plants_1281132.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_children_children-need-encouragement-like-plants_1281132.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_children_children-need-encouragement-like-plants_1281132.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Children need encouragement like plants need water” — Rudolf Dreikurs",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Rudolf Dreikurs",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Children need encouragement like plants need...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/children-need-encouragement-like-plants-need-water/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/children-need-encouragement-like-plants-need-water/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
