Article November 14, 2016 Issue

Children and self-government

Annette Kreutziger-Herr

Originally written in German, this was published in the November 2016 Portuguese, Spanish, French, and German editions of The Herald of Christian Science.

There is no better way to raise a child than to help the child to think for himself or herself—in other words, to be a truly independent thinker. And there is no better way to be a truly independent thinker than to be a spiritually minded thinker.

Does this surprise you? Do you think, well, perhaps this applies to teenagers, but does it apply to children, too, whatever their age? Mary Baker Eddy gives this specific advice: “Teach the children early self-government, and teach them nothing that is wrong” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 240).

In speaking about humanity, Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “God has endowed man with inalienable rights, among which are self-government, reason, and conscience. Man is properly self-governed only when he is guided rightly and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love” (p. 106).

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