Fred Rogers Quotes

A kid should be told that you can have feelings.

The basic premise that children must learn about emotions is that all feelings are okay to have; however, only some reactions are okay.

I am not minimizing emotions. Emotions are an important part of life.

I was raised that emotion was a good thing.

I have always been more of a joyous person than a sad person. But I was fortunate to have a mom and dad where my mom could look at my face and know what was going on and was able to get me to talk and draw it out. As a result, I didn't have to hide an emotion. I didn't have to worry about her telling me, 'That's silly.'

Of course, I get angry. Of course, I get sad. I have a full range of emotions. I also have a whole smorgasbord of ways of dealing with my feelings. That is what we should give children. Give them ... ways to express their rage without hurting themselves or somebody else. That's what the world needs.

In the nurturing family...parents see themselves as empowering leaders not as authoritative bosses. They see their job primarily as one of teaching their children how to be truly human in all situations. They readily acknowledge to the child their poor judgment as well as their good judgment; their hurt, anger, or disappointment as well as their joy. The behavior of these parents matches what they say.

The important thing is not whatever nonsense the voices are saying, but what the voices are feeling.

When she cried, he would say, "there is nothing wrong with crying. Your feelings tell you who are. They tell what is important. Don't ever be ashamed of them.

If a mother respects both herself and her child from his very first day onward, she will never need to teach him respect for others.

It is important to acknowledge all your feelings and not beat yourself up for having them. Your feelings are not good or bad, they just are.

Children can feel, but they cannot analyse their feelings; and if the analysis is partially effected in thought, they know not how to express the result of the process in words.

The minute I started addressing my feelings, I actually came out of very negative situations.

How can those of us who are parents help our children recognize their bliss?

I'm not good with children," the god confessed. "Or people. Well, any organic life forms, really.

You may have heard about living today, tomorrow, or "tonow." Tonow, children tell us, is a gift, which is why we call it "the present." Children understand that tonow is the place to live. The present is really the only moment we have. Sure, bad things can happen in the tonow. But when bad things happen to children, they show us the way again, because they know how to be in touch with their feelings and needs.

I’ve always treated my children as beings in their own right. I respect their feelings and aspirations entirely.

For that's what a woman, a mother wants - to teach her children to take an interest in life. She knows it's safer for them to be interested in other people's happiness than to believe in their own.

The good enough parent, in addition to being convinced that whatever his child does, he does it because at that moment he is convinced this is the best he can do, will also ask himself: "What in the world would make me act as my child acts at this moment? And if I felt forced to act this way, what would make me feel better about it?

Most important to me is my home life and the well-being of my children.

And my daughter said, 'Why are you yelling at us?' and I said, 'I'm trying to discipline you!' And then she looked up at me with her tear-stained eyes and said, 'This is how you teach children, by making them cry.' And it was such a clenching reminder - she won not only the argument, but she won life with that statement. I just burst out laughing, and I think they were so surprised that I burst out laughing, that they did too.

...no one can do a thing about feelings, they exist and there's no way to censor them. We can reproach ourselves for some action, for a remark, but not for a feeling, quite simply because we have no control at all over it.

The greatest gift you and your partner can give your children is the example of an intimate, healthy, and loving relationship.

In my dealing with my child, my Latin and Greek, my accomplishments and my money stead me nothing; but as much soul as I have avails. If I am wilful, he sets his will against mine, one for one, and leaves me, if I please, the degradation of beating him by my superiority of strength. But if I renounce my will, and act for the soul, setting that up as umpire between us two, out of his young eyes looks the same soul; he reveres and loves with me.

So much of parenting is following your instincts, and taking the time to actually know your child.