Selective ignorance, a cornerstone of child rearing. You don't put kids under surveillance: it might frighten you. Parents should sit tall in the saddle and look upon their troops with a noble and benevolent and extremely nearsighted gaze.

Summary

This quote suggests that there is a certain degree of intentional ignorance or overlooking that is necessary in raising children. Instead of constantly monitoring and scrutinizing their every action, parents should adopt a lofty and compassionate perspective. By not fixating on their children's every move, parents can maintain a positive and benevolent outlook, which is believed to be conducive to effective child-rearing. It implies that constantly surveilling and worrying about children might be counterproductive and create unnecessary fear.

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