Thus a Child Learns

Thus a child learns;
by wiggling skills through his fingers and toes into himself;
by soaking up habits and attitudes of those around him;
by pushing and pulling his own world.

Thus a child learns;
more by trial than error
more through pleasure than pain,
more through experience than suggestion,
more through suggestion than direction.

Thus a child learns;
through affection,
through love,
through patience,
through understanding,
through belonging,
through doing,
through being.

Day by day
the child comes to know a little bit of what you know;
to think that a little bit of what you think;
to understand your understanding.
That which you dream and believe and are
in truth, becomes the child.

As you perceive dully or clearly
as you think fuzzily or sharply;
as you believe foolishly or wisely;
as you dream drably or goldenly;
as you bear false witness or tell the truth--
thus a child learns.
(Frederick J. Moffitt)