I’m old enough to remember hearing this as a kid. What about you? Your Mom or Grandmother recite that phrase to get you to quiet down and not interrupt adults?
The phrase “children should be seen and not heard” originates from a time when societal norms emphasized strict discipline and limited a child’s role in adult environments. It reflects the idea that children should behave quietly and not interrupt or involve themselves in adult conversations or activities.
This perspective is considered outdated.
Modern parenting and educational approaches encourage children to express themselves, ask questions, and participate in discussions. It’s said that engagement between children and adults is seen as beneficial for development.
This is one child that should adhere to the traditional phrase… he wants to be heard 24/7.
Why is it we always seem to overcorrect?
I agree that children respectfully engaging with adults is beneficial; however, that doesn’t mean they should interrupt adult conversations saying they’re ready to go home, or be allowed to blab on to the point that grownups aren’t able to converse.
I’m sure my opinion is formed because of the generation I find myself a part of. This makes me think of a story my Mom would often tell about my great aunt, Lois. Lois kept her personal items like cologne on her dresser. She would memorize their exact placement so she would know if any item was touched.
Before leaving the room, she would recite this phrase:
“Don’t meddle, don’t touch, little girl, little boy, or else the world will lose some of its joy.”
Lois Hancock & Lucy Larcom (poem here)
Now that’s just scary, y’all. 😲
Now you know: Children develop and share their own unique folklore (called ‘childlore’), including rhymes and games, which often disappear by adolescence and go unnoticed by adults.