The Secret of Childhood

Maria Montessori was convinced, from a lifetime of scientific observation, that there are laws of growth in the character and disposition of the child as marked as those in its physical life; that adults generally fail to appreciate these laws and force their own ideas on it. This results in the suppression of the child's deepest drives and its mind is thrown into confusion. This often manifests itself in naughtiness, hysterical crying and sulking. A childhood so full of repression results in an adulthood full of complexes. Dr Montessori's main thesis in this book is, in effect, 'Find the secret of childhood'. It truly becomes the 'Father of Man' and achieves a superior, saner psychological development. Maria Montessori's revolutionary method of education was implemented long ago. Today, institutions practising her method still exist in all parts of the world. This book reaches out to a far wider readership, in fact to all those who care for the young and their development into well-adjusted adults.