Treat a child as though he already is the person he's capable of becoming.

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.

Teenagers crave independence. The more self-suf-ficient we make them feel, the less hostile they are toward us.

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.

Wise parents know that fighting a teenager, like fighting a riptide, is inviting doom.

To sense when a teenager needs understanding and when misunderstanding is a difficult and delicate task. The sad truth is that no matter how wise we are, we cannot be right for any length of time in our teenagers' eyes.

Each of us carries within himself a collection of instant insults.