SOME OF THE THINGS CHILDREN NEED

1. TRUTH. So, don't lie to little children, unless (on certain occasions) they are not ready or may not be able to handle the truth. Telling them the truth is an effective way of gaining their trust and confidence. Being truthful is also a good way to teach them to be honest to people they could trust. Believe it or not, it helps a lot to assume that little children will always find out that you lied to them, if you did, for that is the surest way to lose your credibility to them.
2. PLAY AND FUN. So, don't keep them from running around; it's a biological need of little children. Of course, keep an eye on them because accidents usually happen within a fraction of a second. Play activities are a foundation, and thus a necessary ingredient, of maximum development of human beings. Restraining them is dehumanizing them.
3. EVIDENCE. So, don't tell them that if they will not stop crying, a ghost is going to come and get them. It's a sin to little children to get them to believe in something for which no modicum of evidence could be pulled out.
4. INDEPENDENCE. So, don't bring to them what they want, you are not their servant. Assist them so they could get it themselves. If they are too short to reach it, carry them and let them use their own hand/s to get it.
5. RESPECT. So, talk to them with respect. Don't treat them like they are little fools who know nothing but childish things. They will have a hard time getting to where you want them to be if you will not start where they are. Just remember, children want to learn. They always ask themselves, "What is that/this?" And they are not certain about their answer, if any. So, don't ignore them when they seem to be curious about something. Watch their eyes and surely you could tell if they want to know. Talk to them about what you see and what they see. Be a good guide, just like a competent tourist guide.
6. HAPPINESS. Figure out what could make them happy and happier. And if it is good for them, waste no time in making it available to them if you could. Remember, we all have only one life to live and life is so short. Children will always remember and love you if you are a constant source of fun. Nothing could be lovelier than being remembered and loved. Ask yourself, how frequent does a child in your company smile and laugh? Your answer could tell you if you are fun to be with.
7. LOVE. So, ensure that the child is well-fed, -clothed, -and -sheltered. Be sure that he/she is happy in your company. Play with him/her till he/she is tired and satisfied. One of the greatest injustice adults could commit is to let children grow without them knowing what it is to be actually loved. Neglecting a child is a sin whose cost could turn out to be more than what we, adults, could hope to bear. Loving a child, of course is not easy; it requires lots of time and energy, and it may even make you spend a significant amount of money. But all your efforts and sacrifices, so long as they are genuine, will make you happy beyond words. It's only love that promises a reward so great and divine that it might take a poet and a philosopher to express its value in more exact terms. I sometimes wonder why, despite its importance to human development and existence, love is the least studied thing inside and outside school.
8. ADVENTURE. So, be imaginative. Think of things that are really cool, something that will thrill, amaze, and excite little children. You may take them to a place where there are things that they don't typically see. But really you don't have to set foot in that far away place they call Neverland. For there are just too many things around us--very very big, very very small, and the ones in the middle world--that are more than enough to make a child think and wonder for the rest of his/her life. Talk about some of such things, one at a time, and notice how the child's eyes are filled with wonder and amazement. If you do this regularly, it won't be long before the child would dilate his/her pupils at the mere sound of your name. Meaning, you have become adventure yourself.