Parenthood is an endless series of small events, periodic conflicts, and sudden crises which call for a response. The response is not without consequence: it affects personality for better or for worse. Haim Ginott More Quotes by Haim Ginott More Quotes From Haim Ginott I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my personal approach that creates the climate. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a student's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a student humanized or de-humanized. Haim Ginott education inspirational life How can we help a child change from undependable to dependable, from a mediocre student to a capable student, from someone who won't amount to very much to someone who will count for something. The answer is at once both simple and complicated: We treat a child as if he already is what we would like him to become. Haim Ginott simple answers children While parents possess the original key to their offspring's experience, teachers have a spare key. They, too, can open or close the minds and hearts of children. Haim Ginott heart teacher children If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming. Haim Ginott wisdom hope inspirational If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others. Haim Ginott nice self-esteem children Treat a child as though he already is the person he's capable of becoming. Haim Ginott insightful inspirational children Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task. Haim Ginott teaching appreciation teacher When a child hits a child, we call it aggression. When a child hits an adult, we call it hostility. When an adult hits an adult, we call it assault. When an adult hits a child, we call it discipline. Haim Ginott parenting discipline children Happiness... is not a destination: it is a manner of traveling. Happiness is not an end in itself. It is a by-product of working, playing, loving and living. Haim Ginott inner-peace ends happiness When children feel understood, their loneliness and hurt diminish. When children are understood, their love for their parent is deepened. A parent's sympathy serves as emotional first aid for bruised feelings. When we genuinely acknowledge a child's plight and voice her disappointment, she often gathers the strength to face reality. Haim Ginott disappointment hurt children I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized. Haim Ginott teacher inspirational children Only if a child feels right can he think right. Haim Ginott feels-right children thinking Misbehavior and punishment are not opposites that cancel each other - on the contrary they breed and reinforce each other. Haim Ginott punishment parenting opposites Responsibility is fostered by allowing children a voice and wherever indicated a choice in matters that affect them. Haim Ginott voice responsibility children Adolescence can be a time of turmoil and turbulence, of stress and storm. Rebellion against authority and against convention is to be expected and tolerated for the sake of learning and growth. Haim Ginott storm growth stress To be himself, one neeeds to be free from the pressure of evaluative praise Haim Ginott discipline pressure praise Parents often talk about the younger generation as if they didn't have anything to do with it. Haim Ginott happy-mothers-day parenting children When gentle persuasion [of children] falls on deaf ears, we resort to ridicule and rebuke. Then we return to threats and punishment. This is the modus operandi of a mutual frustration society. Haim Ginott frustration children fall A modern teacher educates children to value their emotions. Haim Ginott emotion teacher children Teenagers crave independence. The more self-suf-ficient we make them feel, the less hostile they are toward us. Haim Ginott independence teenager self