“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Often parents undermine their children’s confidence by endlessly repeating negatives. Such as, “Don’t do this,” or “Don’t do that.”

(Long pause.) They end up actually threatening their children, though usually they do not of course understand what they are doing. A mother might say, “Don’t run, or you will fall down,” or “Don’t talk so much, or people will not like you.” In any case, often children grow up with the idea that proper behavior consists mainly in avoiding danger. The emphasis is not upon pleasure, but on the avoidance of pain. Children are taught to repress their emotions rather than to express them.

Children’s play is extremely important to a child’s development—and when they play children use those exquisite powers of imagination, confidence, and expectation that provide the wellspring for growth and fulfillment. (Pause.) People who are exuberant are healthy. They appreciate the richness and variety of life. Many children, however, are unfortunately taught by their parents to be suspicious of exuberance and high spirits. And ordered instead to be quiet, well-mannered and obedient.