Children who grow up getting nutrition from plant foods rather than meats have a tremendous health advantage. They are less likely to develop weight problems, diabetes, high blood pressure and some forms of cancer
In our country today, very few children are raised to believe that their principal destiny is to serve their family, their country, or God.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of nurturing children to value service to their family, country, and God.
Benjamin Spock's quote reflects a concern about the contemporary upbringing of children, suggesting that there is a lack of emphasis on instilling values of service and responsibility toward family, community, and spirituality. He argues that many children are not trained to see their lives as intertwined with these essential aspects of society, leading to a potential disconnection from fundamental duties that contribute to a cohesive and supportive environment.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech at a youth leadership conference, one might quote this to encourage young people to think beyond themselves and think of their roles in society.
More from Benjamin Spock
All quotes βDon't be afraid to trust your own common sense.
Don't take too seriously all that the neighbors say. Don't be overawed by what the experts say. Don't be afraid to trust your own common sense.
On the average, older parents are more flexible, tolerant, understanding, and happy in child care.
Our greatest hope is to bring up children inspired by their opportunities for being helpful and loving.
What good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is usually best after all.
Similar quotes
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Inclusive, good-quality education is a foundation for dynamic and equitable societies.
A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the already solved problems. And not only so. It gives a relish, and facility, for successfully pursuing the [yet] unsolved ones.
Why are fanatics so terrified of girls' education? Because there's no force more powerful to transform a society. The greatest threat to extremism isn't drones firing missiles, but girls reading books.
As an African-American, as a woman, I think that I've been sensitized to the way in which history privileges the white male and the way in which certain aspects of history, the things that we are taught in school, the things that are handed down, never, never entered the picture though they might have been very important.
When you're given a newspaper column, you're not being paid to sit on a fence and scratch your chin and say 'On the one hand this' and 'On the other hand that.' You're getting paid for your opinion.