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April 1, 2022

Children Learn What They Live

The Centers for Disease Control designated April as a month to raise awareness on Child Abuse and Neglect. At Mission Neighborhood Health Center, we have taken this opportunity to focus on “April is the Month of the Child,” reminding our patients and ourselves how important it is to foster self-esteem and create an environment of love and acceptance, in the life of a child.

Large posters with the poem “Children Learn What They Live,” are on display across our clinics for the public to see and read, and small flyers are given to our adult patients to take home, hoping they will place the poem on the refrigerator or in another visible place. When possible, Pediatrics staff has given children-patients small gifts as tokens of appreciation.

“Children Learn What They Live,” was written by Dorothy Law Nolte, who was a therapist, teacher, and writer in Southern California. Nolte died in 2005, but her words are immortal.

Children Learn What They Live

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy.
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 to be patient.
If children live with praise, they learn to appreciate.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with security,
they learn to have faith in themselves and others.
If children live with friendliness,
they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

If children live with love and friendship,
they learn to find love and friendship in the world.

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