Loving Every Child: Wisdom for Parents

by Sandra Joseph (Editor), Janusz Korczak (Contributor)

Born in Poland in 1878, educator, physician, and legendary child advocate Janusz Korczak believed that simply understanding children is the key to being able to take care of them. It’s a basic premise too often overlooked.

This collection of one hundred quotations and passages from Korczak’s writings provides valuable advice on how to take care of, respect, and love every child.

In an inviting gift-book format, this is a heartfelt and helpful reminder of who we were as children and who we might become as parents.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Childrens, Psychology, Poland

84 pages, Hardcover

Published January 4, 2007

Reviews

[Noam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine one of the most profound educators of the last century simply taking notes of his mistakes and experiences so others could learn from.

This piece of art does to pedagogy and education what Calvino's 'Hidden Cities' does to your imagination: a short mass taking you on a journey you'll complete as a different person.

Enjoy.

[Milly Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7cf2...

qué sorpresa más grata!!
un libro escrito hace tiempo que urge leer hoy
si tienes hijos grandes o chicos o no tienes, tú también fuiste niño
citas que te ponen a pensar y a temblar
una historia de vida que admiras y la lloras y aparece en el libro
un final terrible de un hombre que deja una huella hermosa
un libro que van a adorar, mis hijos, yo creo
necesitaba algo así para cerrar mi año
algo trascendental

know yourself before you attempt to get to know children

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Janusz Korczak was a well-loved Polish writer, pediatrician, and advocate for children in the years prior to WWII. He was also Jewish. He had a regular radio show where he dispensed advice to parents, he had both wealthy and poor patients, the latter of whom he not only didn't charge, but left money with for prescriptions.

He designed, built, and ran two orphanages (one Jewish, and one Catholic) that were ground breaking in their treatment of children. He lived in the Jewish orphanage, serving as a father figure to the children there, and promoting the idea that children could act as their own agents in many matters. There was a children's court, where all infractions (committed by children and adults in the community) were judged by the children.

When Polish Jews were moved into the Warsaw ghetto, he relocated there with his orphans, and despite the fact that he had a number of opportunities to be saved, he stayed with them. He is famously known for escorting the children in a silent parade to the deportation train heading to Treblinka. Each child carried a special toy or book, and he boarded the train with them and comforted and cared for them until he and they all met their deaths in Treblinka.

This small book, with a brief biography of Korczak, is full of golden nuggets about children and how they see the world. It encourages parents to give their children the freedom to discover who they might become, as well as letting them live in the present. He explains to parents what they may have forgotten: what the world is like when you are small and relatively helpless. He discourages parents from mentally keeping a tally of what they have provided for a child and expecting certain things in return. He reminds parents that "an easy child" is not necessarily "a good child," and vice-versa. He talks about the things found in children's pockets and dresser drawers as being treasures. He urges parents to observe and listen, and to get down on their knees to really hear what children have to say.

I wish I'd had this book while step-parenting. Out of everything I've read on parenting, this small book is the most valuable.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janusz Korczak (Poland, 1878 - 1942) was an outspoken proponent for children and he spoke of the need for a Declaration of Children’s Rights. This book records some of the wisdom he popularized. Here are some quotes:

After many years in the field of teaching, it has become more and more obvious to me that children deserve respect, trust, and kindness.

Children are not the people of tomorrow, but are people of today. They have a right to be taken seriously, and to be treated with tenderness and respect. They should be allowed to grow into whoever they were meant to be . . . the unknown person inside each of them is our hope for the future.

The child must be seen as a foreigner who does not speak our language and who is ignorant of the laws and customs. Occasionally he likes to go sightseeing on his own and when lost will ask for information and advice. Wanted --- a guide to answer questions politely and patiently. Treat his ignorance with respect.

We should have more respect for the mysteries and fluctuations of the hard business of growing up!

[Madalina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very quick read, but in it's few pages summarises many of the parenting books that I've read. The life and deeds of the author are very moving and inspiring.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Adults are not very clever. They don't even know how to take advantage of the freedom they have. They're so lucky, they can buy anything they like, they're allowed to do anything they want, but despite all this, they are always angry about something and any little thing is liable to make them shout." -Janusz Korczak

This little gem of a book (84pgs.) is filled with quotes about children (similar to that found above) from Korczak who became very well known for his advocacy of children in the Warsaw Ghetto before his eventual death at Treblinka. The last 13 pages of this book are given to a final chapter telling his story to the reader who may not be aware. Recommended.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

[Laura Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless simply advice on being a kind, loving parent.

[Erin Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book holds a special place in my heart. I first heard of Janusz Korczak from a young teacher in Israel. As I was telling her about my educational hero’s (Charlotte Mason) first principle, that children are born persons (obvious but often overlooked in practical ways), she said it reminded her of Korczak. I had to look this guy up. His life story and tragic end at the hand of the Nazi’s is inspirational and gut-wrenching. He lived and loved children (especially underprivileged ones) about the same time that Charlotte Mason was developing her educational philosophy, and the overlap in their ideas fascinates me. This is a book of quotations so it feels a bit disjointed, like nothing is really “fleshed out.” But I enjoyed these poetic reminders of what it’s like to be a child, something as adults we sometimes have a hard time remembering. Some favourite quotes from this book — “Children are not the people of tomorrow, but are people of today. They have a right to be taken seriously, and to be treated with tenderness and respect.” “When I approach a child, I have two feelings: Affection for what he is today and respect for what he can become.” (These two quotes echo Charlotte Mason’s first two principles for me.) “Dogs, birds, butterflies, and flowers are equally close to his heart, and he feels kingship with each pebble and shell.” (I immediately thought of education as the “science of relations” and how important it is for children to form “relationships” with the world around them, with people, and with God.) He also had things to say that reminded me of the “way of reason” and the “way of the will.” “Teach children not only to value truth, but also to recognize lies.” He wrote about “coaxing the will in the direction of self-control and self denial.” And I loved this — “A teacher who, instead of forcing, emancipates, who does not pull but raises up, does not oppress but molds, does not dictate but instructs, does not demand but asks, is destined to live through many inspired moments together with the child and will frequently be able to observe, through a veil of tears, the struggle between good and evil forces and to watch the white angel walk off with the trump card.”

[slauderdale]

There are many works about this man, but this is the only book actually BY Janusz Korczak that I could find in our library network, and it is really more of a collection of excerpts and aphorisms from several of his pedagogical works. But beautifully observed and eloquently put. I enjoyed reading it, and while I could check it in at this point, I think I am going to bring it home and see if I can bully my wife into reading it as well. It is quite lovely.

I first encountered Korczak by way of King Matt the First, which a friend of mine had for one of her grad school classes and which I borrowed. I didn't know about his amazing life and death until later, and it was a shock to me. Kaytek the Wizard is sitting on my to-read shelf, and I'd be interested in reading more by him, but it seems most of it I will have to bring in from out of network (fortunately it does appear to be highly gettable that way), or buy.

...And now Wikipedia informs me that Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed, also sitting on my to-read list, features "Doctor Korczak" as a character.

[Katie Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a slim little book filled with wisdom from the famed Janusz Korczak, but I do recommend finding one of his longer titles for more about his approach to nurturing children. The book does include a section at the end about Korczak's last moments, which is heartrending, but most readers will know he chose to continue taking care of the children in his charge right up to the very end, even if it meant dying with them.

[Vcmc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janusz Korczak was a hero and his ideas on child care and education were far ahead of his time. This small book contains a selection of his quotes all of which are wise, helpful reminders to bring the best, most respectful part of ourselves to the care of children. It leaves me wanting more so now I need to get hold of his full length books about childcare as well as his other writing.

[Knygų tinklaraštis (Gintarė Žarkova) · Rating 4 out of 5]

JANUSZ KORCZAK, SANDRA JOSEPH “LOVING EVERY CHILD: WISDOM FOR PARENTS” (2007) 4/5

Janusz Korczak tikrasis vardas Henryk Goldszmit (1878? 1879 - 1942) buvo lenkų žydas mokytojas, daktaras, vaikų knygelių autorius, pedagogas, Lenkijoje visiems žinomas kaip Pan Doktor/ Stary Doctor, kuris didžiąją savo gyvenimo dalį skyrė VAIKAMS. Ne tik juos gydė, mokė, bet buvo įkūręs ir dviejus našlaičių namus (vaikams žydams ir vaikams krikščionims), kuriems be atlygio iki gyvenimo galo vadovavo. Jis nebuvo idealistas su rožiniais akiniais, vien tik iš sentimentų norėjęs padėti vaikams ir ugdyti juos taip, kaip jie nusipelnę. Visas darbas ir motyvacija kilo iš skrūpulingų klinikinių stebėjimų, ir mokslinių faktų, žinoma, ir iš empatijos, atjautos, meilės, pagarbos, noro užtikrinti vaikams jų visapusiškas teises, įkvėpti net ir tuometinę okupuotą Lenkiją su nacių rėžimu, GERBTI vaikus, atliepti į jų poreikius. Mylėti juos ir gerbti taip, kaip jie yra gimę su tokia teise. Nepaliko jis savo dviejų šimtų našlaičių globotinių iš prieglaudos ir tada, kai jam pakartotinai siūlė išsigelbėti iš nacių okupuotos Lenkijos ir gauti prieglobstį saugų kitur. Janusz Korczak iškelta galva ėjo kartu su savo našlaičiais vaikučiais iš Geto į Treblinkos mirties stovyklą, nes, kaip jis daug kartų buvo minėjęs: “You wouldn’t abandon your own children in sickness, misfortune, or danger, would you? So how can I leave two hundred children now!” p. 82. Už širdies griebiantis faktas. Skausmingas. Pats Janusz Korczak kraštiniuose “Ghetto Diary” puslapiuose rašo, jog “I am angry with nobody. I do not wish anybody evil. I am unable to do so. I do not know how one can do it.” p. 82.

Čia trumpas autoriaus gyvenimo ir darbo aprašymas iš knygos finalo “Loving every child”. Knyga trumpa, lengvai skaitoma, įkvėpimo kupina, užduoda pamąstymus klausimo forma. Tai yra santraupa atrinktų jo minčių iš kitų veikalų. Jau pasiėmiau iš bibliotekos ir visą Janusz Korczak Raštai tomą. Jame yra pilna versija garsiųjų veikalų “Mylėti savo vaiką” ir “Teisė į pagarbą”. Būtent iš šių minėtųjų ir sudaryta trumpa “Loving every child” knyga. Lietuvoje šias dvi knygeles buvo nemokamai sklaidai išleidusi Vaiko teisių apsaugos kontrolieriaus įstaiga. Paieškokite internete jųjų puslapyje, jei domina, rasite. Nors aš visada mėgstu skaityti knygą KNYGIŠKAI. Labai tikiuosi, kad ir dar ir dar bus išleista šių knygelių, nes LIETUVOJE BŪTINA kuo platesniam ratui šeimų, mokyklų, darželių, ugdymo įstaigų, universitetų, jas skaityti ir įsigilinti. Nes na didžioji dalis visų Janusz Korczak parašytų tiesų yra pagrindas, kaip elgtis su vaiku, kaip pirmiausia jį gerbti ir mylėti. Daug tėvystės knygų jau vėliau išleistų, VISAME PASAULYJE, vis tas pačias tiesas pakartoja. O kartoti yra būtina, nes tai yra TIESA. Ir visko pagrindas.

Knyga “Loving every child: Wisdom for Parents” pateikia citatas apie tėvų (ne)nuoseklumą, lūkesčius, buvimą čia ir dabar, žiūrėjimą į akis vaikams su jais kalbantis ir buvimą jų akių aukštyje, ką vaikai mano apie suaugusiuosius, apie vaiko sielą, kaip žaidžia vaikai ir ką tai jiems suteikia. Skyreliuose pajaučiama kaip autorius su pagarba ir meile ĮKVĖPDAMAS PASAULIO TĖVUS, MOKYTOJUS IR VISUS VISUS kalba apie
No Book Is a Substitute
A Child Is Born
Here and Now
In Return
Communication
The Right to Be Respected
A Child Will Play
Why Can’t a Canary Go to Heaven?
Adults Are Not Very Clever
Is It Allowed?
The Sould of a Child
Adolescence
A Child Brings

Rekomenduoju.
“I want everyone to understand that no book and no doctor is a substitute for one’s own sensitive contemplation and careful observations. Books with their ready-made formulas have dulled our vision and slackened the mind. Living by other people’s experiences, research, and opinions, we have lost our self-confidence and we fail to observe things for ourselves.
Parents find lessons not from books, but from inside themselves.” p. 1.

“CHILDREN ARE NOT the people of tomorrow, but are people of today. They have a right to be taken seriously, and to be treated with tenderness and respect. They should be allowed to grow into whoever they were meant to be - the unknown person inside each ot them is our hope for the future.” p. 19.

“I HAVE THE MIND of a researcher, not an inventor.
To study in order to know? No.
To study in order to know more? No.
I think it is to study in order to ask more and more questions.” p. 69.


Ačiū.
O ar Jūs skaitėtė JANUSZ KORCZAK? Kaip patiko?

[Christina Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was mentioned in a footnote of one of my favorite articles that I read this year, and it was so, so beautiful. It honestly made me sad to be an adult.
The ending with Korczak’s biography made me ugly cry.

[Charlotte Jansdotter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Korczaks barnsyn - alla barnrättsaktivisters förebild <3

[Təhminə Axundova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bütün valideynlərin oxumalı olduğu kitabdır. O sizə qaydalar yeritmir, o sizə körpə gözləri ilə dünyaya baxıb, onunla ciddi empatiya qurmağa kömək olur. Bu cür bələdçi tapmaq asan deyil :)

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVING EVERY CHILD, is a very quick read with it is mere 84 pages of quotes and reflections on parenting. It is the saddest of stories taking into account the tragic ENDING of the author's life JANUSZ KORCZAK and his children,i.e.the members of a jewish orphanage in Warsaw. The description of "the death march" of Korczak and his children, each carrying a favorite toy or book, on August 5, 1942 on the way to the freight cars whose final destination would be the gas chambers of Treblinka, brought tears to my eyes. The book says that it has become legendary, yet I had never heard of Janusz Korczak, and I almost not dare saying his name up loud of fear of buchering his name.
He was a visionary. His parenting ideas are so contemporary that it umbelievable to think he wrote them almost 60 years ago. It is more of a poetic book, than an essay on parenting. Don't expect to find much of a guideline on how to raise children, that is not the way it is written. It is more of a reminder of the "preciousness" of life.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such apropos teachings from a pediatrician who perished in the Holocaust so long ago. His writings are so important and so true even nearly 100 years later...could have been written today, however, few people would have his insight and wisdom.

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book that every parent and not only a parent should read it.

[Steve]

The confirmation that children are God, and that the author is the most Jesus-like figure since, well, Jesus.

[Lynnea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too wordy and proud for me.

[Janis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uplifting words of wisdom for parents.

[Maija · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it and forget type.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book to reflect on raising kids during this last week of school. Here's to summer vacation!

[Max Ostrovsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parenting - koan style. Sort of.