Loving and respectful treatment of children is absolutely critical to their future happiness and to the welfare of society as a whole. Yet parents who were not given love and respect in childhood have not learned how to do this. Children have a voracious appetite for learning, and they learn best the things they learn first. Children, like adults, learn mostly by example and experience. Children have a drive to love other people and to be a contribution to the people around them.
Children offer a joyful zest for life and a fresh point of view.
Children are empirical scientists of the first order. A child's logic is flawless, based on his or her experience and stage of development. Children are frequently misunderstood in their early communications, and are often squelched, rather than listened to fairly. Misbehavior in children is an attempt to communicate, when all else has failed. Clearly, our interpretation of a child's intentions will have a significant effect on our relationship with them and their own view of themselves.