--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It [is] very unfair to influence a…" description: "\"It [is] very unfair to influence a child's mind by inculcating any opinions before it [has] come to years of discretion to choose for itself.\" — Samuel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/822/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_children_it-is-very-unfair-to-influence-a-child-s_2094666.jpg" --- # It \[is\] very unfair to influence a child's mind by… ![“It [is] very unfair to influence a child's mind by inculcating any opinions before it [has] come to years of discretion to choose for itself.” quote by Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/822/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_children_it-is-very-unfair-to-influence-a-child-s_2094666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/822/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_children_it-is-very-unfair-to-influence-a-child-s_2094666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/822/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_children_it-is-very-unfair-to-influence-a-child-s_2094666.jpg) > “It \[is\] very unfair to influence a child's mind by inculcating any opinions before it \[has\] come to years of discretion to choose for itself.” [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Influencing a child's mind before they can choose is unfair; they need time to develop discretion. **In simple terms:** Respect children's developing autonomy. Key Takeaway Delay imposing opinions. Themes childhood autonomy fairness Mood protective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - school curricula - media exposure - political socialization Key Concepts education psychology Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to guide a child? - How can guidance respect emerging autonomy? A Different Perspective Some guidance is necessary for safety and moral development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Discretion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discretion/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“If an album or a video game exerts more influence on your child's mind, then you must ask yourself: what kind of a parent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lourd-ernest-h-de-veyra/if-an-album-or-a-video-game-exerts-more-influence-on-your-child-s/) [Lourd Ernest H. de Veyra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lourd-ernest-h-de-veyra/) > [Those of us who have come to years of discretion and more, must often take to retrospect, and seek to appraise the outcome of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/those-of-us-who-have-come-to-years-of-discretion-and-more-must-often/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [Life is a great gift, and as we reach years of discretion, most of us naturally ask ourselves what should be the main object…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/life-is-a-great-gift-and-as-we-reach-years-of-discretion-most-of-us/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [The first duty of a state is to see that every child born therein shall be well housed, clothed, fed and educated till it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-first-duty-of-a-state-is-to-see-that-every-child-born-therein/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“In short, we live with an overriding sense that we have ultimate control over who our kids become when they are adults. We therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-meeker/in-short-we-live-with-an-overriding-sense-that-we-have-ultimate/) [Meg Meeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-meeker/) > [In order to influence a child, one must be careful not to be that child's parent or grandparent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-marquis/in-order-to-influence-a-child-one-must-be-careful-not-to-be-that/) [Don Marquis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-marquis/) > [“Seriously, far beyond whether you have a natural birth or not, use cloth diapers or don't, opt to breastfeed or use formula, the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-ladny-mitchell/seriously-far-beyond-whether-you-have-a-natural-birth-or-not-use/) Katherine Ladny Mitchell > [Every word, movement and action has an effect. 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