--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a child makes a mistake or fails to…" description: "\"When a child makes a mistake or fails to accomplish a certain goal, we must avoid any word or action which indicates that we consider him a failure. 'T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_accomplish_when-a-child-makes-a-mistake-or-fails-to_371401.jpg" --- # When a child makes a mistake or fails to accomplish a… ![“When a child makes a mistake or fails to accomplish a certain goal, we must avoid any word or action which indicates that we consider him a failure. 'Too bad that didn't work.' 'I'm sorry it didn't work out for you.' We need to separate the deed from the doer.” quote by Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_accomplish_when-a-child-makes-a-mistake-or-fails-to_371401.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_accomplish_when-a-child-makes-a-mistake-or-fails-to_371401.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_accomplish_when-a-child-makes-a-mistake-or-fails-to_371401.jpg) > “When a child makes a mistake or fails to accomplish a certain goal, we must avoid any word or action which indicates that we consider him a failure. 'Too bad that didn't work.' 'I'm sorry it didn't work out for you.' We need to separate the deed from the doer.” [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 should be encouraged by separating their actions from their identity, avoiding language that labels them as failures, thereby fostering resilience and growth mindset. **In simple terms:** Separate the mistake from the child, avoid labeling them as failures. Key Takeaway Focus on effort, not outcome. Themes parenting education psychology growth mindset Mood supportive constructive Type educational psychological When to use this quote - classroom - family - coaching - mentor sessions Key Concepts positive reinforcement non‑judgmental language resilience building Questions to Reflect On - How can you praise effort without ignoring results? - What language best supports learning after failure? A Different Perspective May be unrealistic in high‑stakes situations where accountability is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Making mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-mistakes/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Nurture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurture/) [Nurturing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurturing/) [Psychiatrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychiatrist/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Raising children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raising-children/) [Suggestions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggestions/) [Teaching children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching-children/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) ## Related quotes > [If one has made a mistake, and fails to correct it, one has made a greater mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/if-one-has-made-a-mistake-and-fails-to-correct-it-one-has-made-a/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [My goal was to avoid bloodshed. But unfortunately there was some bloodshed, after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/my-goal-was-to-avoid-bloodshed-but-unfortunately-there-was-some/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [There is no way now to get around some use of embryos. But my goal is to avoid using them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinya-yamanaka/there-is-no-way-now-to-get-around-some-use-of-embryos-but-my-goal-is/) [Shinya Yamanaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinya-yamanaka/) > [BEFORE STARTING ON ANY NEW PROJECT OR ACTIVITY, VISUALIZE THE POSITIVE OUTCOME THAT YOU WANT TO COME FROM WHAT YOU ARE DOING. DO NOT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/before-starting-on-any-new-project-or-activity-visualize-the-positive/) Senoraroy > [Anyone over the age of thirty catching a bus can consider himself a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/anyone-over-the-age-of-thirty-catching-a-bus-can-consider-himself-a/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [Excessive pay and rewards for failure are bad for shareholders, the economy and society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/excessive-pay-and-rewards-for-failure-are-bad-for-shareholders-the/) [Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/) > [ If we \[Microsoft Corporation\] weren't still hiring great people and pushing ahead at full speed, it would be easy to fall behind and become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-we-microsoft-corporation-weren-t-still-hiring-great-people-and/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Not many people are willing to give failure a second opportunity. They fail once and it is all over. The bitter pill of failure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sugarman/not-many-people-are-willing-to-give-failure-a-second-opportunity-they/) [Joseph Sugarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sugarman/) > [No mistake or failure is as bad as to stop and not try again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/no-mistake-or-failure-is-as-bad-as-to-stop-and-not-try-again/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) > [There's no disgrace in failing, lad, Though friends and foes deride; In fact, a failure's not so bad As never having tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/there-s-no-disgrace-in-failing-lad-though-friends-and-foes-deride-in/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [I'm neither professional fighter nor physicist, therefore on some level I will always consider myself a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/i-m-neither-professional-fighter-nor-physicist-therefore-on-some/) [Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/) > [If I have to tell a guy he's got something to do, I consider myself a failure as a manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-redington-hewlett/if-i-have-to-tell-a-guy-he-s-got-something-to-do-i-consider-myself-a/) [William Redington Hewlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-redington-hewlett/) > [“Consider failure as just a comma in the middle of a sentence that tells the story of your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-o-leary/consider-failure-as-just-a-comma-in-the-middle-of-a-sentence-that/) [Jeff O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-o-leary/) > [Frostbite? I consider that a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twight/frostbite-i-consider-that-a-failure/) [Mark Twight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twight/) > [What a shame to be so afraid of failure that you stop living. My wife has a great one-liner about failure: "Never consider yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/what-a-shame-to-be-so-afraid-of-failure-that-you-stop-living-my-wife/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [Children need encouragement like plants need water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/children-need-encouragement-like-plants-need-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 Accomplish quotes > [Learn to see the big picture. Often times we get tunnel vision and lose sight of the big picture and what we're really trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/learn-to-see-the-big-picture-often-times-we-get-tunnel-vision-and/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I work every day. Sometimes I don't accomplish anything every day, but if I don't work every day, I get depressed and get afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-work-every-day-sometimes-i-don-t-accomplish-anything-every-day-but/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [God has given believers the responsibility of spreading the Gospel to all the world, and we need to use all at our disposal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-epp/god-has-given-believers-the-responsibility-of-spreading-the-gospel-to/) [Theodore Epp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-epp/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) > [There's things that you want to accomplish, but to do that you have to work. That's the name of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/there-s-things-that-you-want-to-accomplish-but-to-do-that-you-have-to/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [We have to think about the future and what it is we want to accomplish from this party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bernice-johnson/we-have-to-think-about-the-future-and-what-it-is-we-want-to/) [Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bernice-johnson/) > [Everything that I have ever hoped to accomplish, she has done and done better than anyone I have ever seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/everything-that-i-have-ever-hoped-to-accomplish-she-has-done-and-done/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [For what we want to accomplish in the future, we have to be able to view everything from the eyes of the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-katz/for-what-we-want-to-accomplish-in-the-future-we-have-to-be-able-to/) [Karen Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-katz/) > [And for me the only way to live life is to grab the bull by the horns and call up recording studios and set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/and-for-me-the-only-way-to-live-life-is-to-grab-the-bull-by-the-horns/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [A great tennis career is something that a 15-year-old normally doesn't have. I hope my example helps other teens believe they can accomplish things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/a-great-tennis-career-is-something-that-a-15-year-old-normally-doesn/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [One should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/one-should-not-withdraw-from-individuals-and-commit-to-the-community/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) Browse all 2,426 Accomplish quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a child makes a mistake or fails to accomplish a certain goal, we must avoid any word or action which indicates that we consider him a failure. 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