--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There needs to be a lot more emphasis on…" description: "\"There needs to be a lot more emphasis on what a child CAN do, instead of what he cannot do.\" — Temple Grandin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/temple-grandin-1219_can-do_there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on_387906.png" --- # There needs to be a lot more emphasis on what a child CAN… ![“There needs to be a lot more emphasis on what a child CAN do, instead of what he cannot do.” quote by Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/temple-grandin-1219_can-do_there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on_387906.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/temple-grandin-1219_can-do_there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on_387906.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/temple-grandin-1219_can-do_there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on_387906.png) > “There needs to be a lot more emphasis on what a child CAN do, instead of what he cannot do.” [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on abilities rather than limitations to empower children. **In simple terms:** Highlight what children can do, not what they can't. Key Takeaway Promote strength‑based approaches. Themes education empowerment ability Mood encouraging practical Type educational motivational When to use this quote - in classroom planning - parenting strategies - special education - policy development Key Concepts strength‑based pedagogy inclusive teaching Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance strengths with needed assistance? - What abilities can you nurture in a child today? A Different Perspective Ignoring challenges may hinder needed support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Child Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-instead-3505641/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Emphasis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasis/) [Emphasis Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasis-child-3505642/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Needs Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-lot-3505643/) ## Related quotes > [Maybe God's goal wasn't for me to raise a good rule-following child. Instead, His goal was for me to raise a God-following adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/maybe-god-s-goal-wasn-t-for-me-to-raise-a-good-rule-following-child/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [I don't care about having a fancy car. I don't have a lot of the wants and needs that a lot of people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-askren/i-don-t-care-about-having-a-fancy-car-i-don-t-have-a-lot-of-the-wants/) [Ben Askren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-askren/) > [I'm not the poorest president. The poorest is the one who needs a lot to live,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-m-not-the-poorest-president-the-poorest-is-the-one-who-needs-a-lot-2/) [Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/) > [Anyone who wants to achieve something, needs a lot of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/anyone-who-wants-to-achieve-something-needs-a-lot-of-work/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [I think he's got good potential, but he needs a lot of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-parcells/i-think-he-s-got-good-potential-but-he-needs-a-lot-of-work/) [Bill Parcells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-parcells/) > [In special education, there's too much emphasis placed on the deficit and not enough on the strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/in-special-education-there-s-too-much-emphasis-placed-on-the-deficit/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I sometimes find that my family's emphasis on stories, characters, and art that appeals directly to children rather than over their heads to adults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-berenstain/i-sometimes-find-that-my-family-s-emphasis-on-stories-characters-and/) [Mike Berenstain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-berenstain/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [My parents and I always put great emphasis on telling stories that appeal to a child's sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-berenstain/my-parents-and-i-always-put-great-emphasis-on-telling-stories-that/) [Mike Berenstain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-berenstain/) > [All I want to say, with the utmost emphasis at my command, is that the description of India as a military country is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/all-i-want-to-say-with-the-utmost-emphasis-at-my-command-is-that-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Begbie offers an additional valuable contribution by rejecting the traditional emphasis on beauty, in its Platonic sense, and instead suggesting that beauty be reconceived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-walford/begbie-offers-an-additional-valuable-contribution-by-rejecting-the/) [John Walford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-walford/) > [We are, finally, all wanderers in search of knowledge. Most of us hold the dream of becoming something better than we are, something larger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/we-are-finally-all-wanderers-in-search-of-knowledge-most-of-us-hold/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [The African tribesman, with his complete contempt for truth and his emphasis on brutality and savagery for others but not for himself, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/the-african-tribesman-with-his-complete-contempt-for-truth-and-his/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [I put a lot of emphasis on how to treat people. The reason for this is simple. The real success of our personal lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/i-put-a-lot-of-emphasis-on-how-to-treat-people-the-reason-for-this-is/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [Emphasis was usually put on the horizontal acceleration factor, for the simple reason that ordinary structures have a built-in safety factor for the vertical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-francis-richter/emphasis-was-usually-put-on-the-horizontal-acceleration-factor-for/) [Charles Francis Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-francis-richter/) ## More by Temple Grandin > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Language just gradually came in, one or two stressed words a time. Before then, I would just scream. I couldn't talk. I couldn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/language-just-gradually-came-in-one-or-two-stressed-words-a-time/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Animals do have emotion. But fear tends to be one of the most primal emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/animals-do-have-emotion-but-fear-tends-to-be-one-of-the-most-primal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. You got to remember, autism definition is a behavioral profiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-that-the-definition-of-autism-is-too-broad-you-got-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [People can live up to high standards, but they can't live up to perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/people-can-live-up-to-high-standards-but-they-can-t-live-up-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“There's a point where anecdotal evidence becomes truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-s-a-point-where-anecdotal-evidence-becomes-truth/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [here's certain things that are similar to cats and dogs. Dogs are just hyper social and they have a want to please you way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/here-s-certain-things-that-are-similar-to-cats-and-dogs-dogs-are-just/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [People talk about curing autism. But if you got rid of all those traits, who's going to make the next computer?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/people-talk-about-curing-autism-but-if-you-got-rid-of-all-those/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [It is important that our relationship with farm animals is reciprocal. We owe animals a decent life and a painless death. I have observed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/it-is-important-that-our-relationship-with-farm-animals-is-reciprocal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [In a dog social cue from a master can override where he saw the being placed. That won’t happen unless we have bred a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/in-a-dog-social-cue-from-a-master-can-override-where-he-saw-the-being/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Well the dog that is the most is the a Labrador retrievers because they tolerate kids tugging on them and things better than other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/well-the-dog-that-is-the-most-is-the-a-labrador-retrievers-because/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) [Explore all 271 Temple Grandin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There needs to be a lot more emphasis on what a child CAN do, instead of what he cannot do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Temple Grandin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on-what-a-child-can-do-instead/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can do" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on-what-a-child-can-do-instead/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/temple-grandin-1219_can-do_there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on_387906.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/temple-grandin-1219_can-do_there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on_387906.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b54/temple-grandin-1219_can-do_there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on_387906.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There needs to be a lot more emphasis on what a child CAN do, instead of what he cannot do.” — Temple Grandin", "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": "Temple Grandin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There needs to be a lot...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on-what-a-child-can-do-instead/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on-what-a-child-can-do-instead/#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 } } ] } ```