Nov. 13, 2025 7 AM PT
To the editor: You will need to protect youngsters from the cruel realities of life to permit them to develop their sense of self regularly. This preliminary “bubble” permits for inside stability and security to develop, which in flip fortifies that particular person as they start to grow to be conscious of life’s harshness. Make-believe, fantasies, fairy tales, tooth fairies and Santa Claus serve this function.
The kid who’s allowed no secure house to develop, as in situations of poverty, abuse or the overwhelming awfulness of warfare, developmentally suffers. On the different excessive, extra coddling of a kid is crippling in that it denies that baby the chance to learn to deal with all of life that they are going to encounter as adults.
Donald Trump, the peddler of unreality, tries to promote the general public on how fantastic every little thing is, will likely be and — insidiously — was (“A small army is racing against time and Trump to preserve U.S. history,” Nov. 4). Modifying historical past to subtract uncomfortable truths denies mature youngsters, after which grown adults, the power to be taught to deal with what the reality of the previous actually was. Like in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451,” simply take the proper tablet and all discomfort is alleviated; the worth resides a lie.
As George Santayana said, “Those that can not keep in mind the previous are condemned to repeat it.”
Sheldon Kardener, Santa Monica
