Needing a poem about raising children?

Question

Its along the lines of 'if you treat a child with patience it learns to be confident etc etc and ends with something like 'if you treat a child with cruelty it learns to fear' I don't know who its by. Does anyone know this poem? Thanks

Answer 1

I have found two versions. The first is

Children Learn What They Live

If a child lives with criticism

he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility

he learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule

he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with shame

he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with tolerance

he learns to be patient.

if a child lives with encouragement

he learns confidence.

If a child lives with praise

he learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with fairness

he learns justice.

If a child lives with security

he learns to have faith.

If a child lives with approval

he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance

and friendship he learns to

find love in the world.

by Dorothy Law Nolte (1954), and submitted by Jackie Williams.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D., has been a teacher and lecturer on family dynamics and a parenting consultant in family life education for over 40 years. She is the mother of three, grandmother of two, and great-grandmother of five. She lives and works in Southern California.

ABOUT THE POEM The poem "Children Learn What They Live" has had a life of its own since Dorothy wrote it in 1954, making its way around the world, many times appearing unauthorized, excerpted or modified in various forms and venues.

Officially, the poem has been translated into ten languages and published worldwide, and it is used by teachers and clergy as part of the curriculum for parenting education classes.

Here's the second version

Children Learn What They Live

By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Copyright © 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte

Answer 2

Is this it?

Children Learn What They Live

By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.