You know, when Marshall Rosenberg said, “It is not our job to make children behave,” he was really flipping the script on traditional parenting. It’s not about control, but about creating a space where kids can learn to solve their own problems peacefully. This shifts the entire dynamic from enforcement to empowerment, which is a game-changer.
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Meaning
The core message here is a fundamental shift in perspective: from controlling a child’s behavior to facilitating their inner growth. It’s about being a gardener, not a sculptor.
Explanation
Let me break this down for you. For years, I used to think my main role was to get kids to act right. You know, stop the hitting, the yelling, the endless “no’s.” But Rosenberg’s approach is different. It’s about environmental design. Instead of being the constant referee, you become the architect of a space where peaceful conflict resolution is the natural outcome. You’re not demanding good behavior; you’re creating the conditions for it to emerge organically. It’s a subtle but incredibly powerful distinction that changes everything.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Education (260) |
| Topics | environment (16), learning (190), peace (46) |
| Literary Style | reflective (255) |
| Emotion / Mood | encouraging (304) |
| Overall Quote Score | 79 (243) |
Origin & Factcheck
This quote comes straight from Marshall B. Rosenberg’s 1999 book, Raising Children Compassionately: Parenting the Nonviolent Communication Way. It’s a core tenet of his Nonviolent Communication (NVC) framework. You sometimes see the sentiment pop up elsewhere, but this specific phrasing is Rosenberg’s, born from his life’s work in the United States.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Marshall B. Rosenberg (190) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Raising Children Compassionately: Parenting the Nonviolent Communication Way (135) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | It is not our job to make children behave; it is our task to create an environment where they can learn to meet their needs peacefully |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2004; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9781892005140; Last edition: PuddleDancer Press, 1st Edition, 48 pages. |
| Where is it? | Chapter: Creating Peaceful Learning Environments, Approximate page from 2005 edition |