Nesivos Shalom: Help a Child Become Who He Can Be

We do not educate a child to become who we want him to be. We educate him to become who Hashem created him to be.

Attribution printed on the image: Nesivos Shalom

A reflection on the teaching

Parents naturally bring hopes to chinuch. The saying printed here asks us to notice the child entrusted to us alongside those hopes. His abilities, temperament and needs deserve attention. Guiding him still includes standards and boundaries, but those can be taught in a way that fits the person learning them. Before deciding what he should become, ask what you are seeing in him already. Which strength can you encourage, and which difficulty needs patient support? One careful observation may help you respond to your child with greater understanding.

Source note: The attribution above is transcribed from the image. The exact source and English wording have not been independently verified.