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In fact, parents must understand that as soon as a child is born, it is first of all an individual, and that no individual should be treated like a child. Even our creators do not treat us like children, but as individuals. That is why they do not intervene directly to help us solve our problems but allow us to overcome the obstacles that we encounter by working things out for ourselves as responsible individuals. The little creature who is still just the larva of a human being must, in its infancy, grow accustomed to respecting the liberty and the tranquillity of others. Since little children are too young to understand and reason, corporal punishment” should be rigorously applied by the person bringing them up, so that they suffer when they cause suffering or disturb others by showing a lack of respect. This corporal punishment” should be applied only to very young children, and then, in keeping with the child’s growing power to reason and understand, it should be phased out progressively and eventually stopped altogether. From the age of seven, corporal punishment” should be quite exceptional, and from the age of fourteen, it should never be applied. You will use corporal punishment” only when punishing a child for not respecting the freedom and tranquillity of others or yourself. You will teach your child to blossom, and you will teach him or her always to have a questioning attitude towards those things which society and its schools want to inculcate. You will not force your child to learn things that are not useful, and you will let him or her follow any desired path because, do not forget, the most important thing is his or her fulfillment. 183 THE Keys - BIRTH Education