Children Are Born Persons

"At the start of each of her six volumes, Charlotte Mason outlines her philosophy using twenty principles. The very first one listed is: 'Children are born persons.'"

At the beginning of each of her six volumes, Charlotte Mason outlines her educational philosophy through twenty principles. The very first principle—"Children are born persons"—can seem oddly simple, or even trite. Yet understanding this principle, and why Mason chose to begin with it, is essential. It is the foundation upon which all of her subsequent ideas rest.

Personhood in Parenting

Our children were not placed under our care by happenstance. We were divinely appointed to raise the specific and unique children entrusted to us. Whether or not we are conscious of this reality dramatically impacts how we view our children and the role of personhood in parenting.

Charlotte Mason writes, "The wonder that Almighty God can endure so far to leave the very making of an immortal being in the hands of human parents is only matched by the wonder that human parents can accept this divine trust with hardly a thought of its significance."¹ Too often, we forget the weight and sacredness of our role in raising the eternal souls placed in our care.

In Home Education, Mason introduces what she calls a "Code of Education," warning parents against the danger of despising their children. In her second volume, she elaborates further:

"As a matter of fact, we do not realise children, we under-estimate them; in the divine words, we 'despise' them… because we confound the immaturity of their frames… with spiritual impotence."²

How often do we dismiss children's ideas, perspectives, or inner lives simply because they are smaller and less experienced than we are? Through bribery, threats, intimidation—whether verbal or unspoken—it is not uncommon for adults to relate to children in ways they would never consider acceptable when interacting with another person.

Children are born persons. Their personhood does not emerge gradually through age, milestones, or achievement. Mason insists:

"A child is a person in whom all possibilities are present—present now at this very moment—not to be educed after years and efforts manifold on the part of the educator."³

There are no neutral moments in parenting. From birth onward, parents are always—actively or passively—forming habits upon which future character and conduct depend.

Discipline as Discipleship

The word discipline carries different meanings depending on context. While Scripture clearly calls parents to discipline their children, Charlotte Mason urges us to examine what discipline truly means.

"What is discipline? Look at the word; there is no hint of punishment in it. A disciple is a follower, and discipline is the state of the follower; the learner, imitator."⁴

Discipline, then, is not synonymous with punishment. While punishment may occasionally be necessary, it is not the primary means by which hearts are shaped. Christ Himself spent far more time discipling than punishing.

Mason explains that true discipleship relies not on force, but on attraction, persuasion, and example:

"He who would draw disciples does not trust to force; but to these three things—to the attraction of his doctrine, to the persuasion of his presentation, to the enthusiasm of his disciples."⁵

Discipleship is a gradual, intentional process. Mason describes it as a steady cultivation of virtue—faith, self-control, patience, godliness, kindness, and love—practiced systematically and purposefully, much like academic instruction.⁶

Personhood in Education

How we view children—as persons or as objects—inevitably shapes our educational methods. Mason writes:

"The fundamental idea is that children are persons, and are therefore moved by the same springs of conduct as their elders… Among these is the desire of knowledge."⁷

Because children are persons, they possess a natural hunger for knowledge and require a broad, generous curriculum. History, geography, science, art, ethics, and religion are not optional extras; they speak directly to the human condition. For reasons of convenience or time, we have no right to curtail a child's proper intellectual feast.

This is why Mason often likened education to a feast. A feast requires variety, depth, and meaningful relationships. Education, she believed, is fundamentally the science of relations.

"Perhaps the main part of a child's education should be concerned with the great human relationships… relationships of love and service, authority and obedience, reverence and pity."⁸

History, literature, art, languages, and science are all expressions of human experience. When approached through living books and living ideas, they awaken a child's sense of personal connection to the world—past, present, and future.

The aim of a Charlotte Mason education is not high test scores, polished literary analysis, or even an impressive worldview—though these may emerge naturally. Rather, Mason places the person at the center:

"We demand of education that it should make for the evolution of the individual… intellectually, morally, physically."⁹

When we truly grasp Mason's first principle—that children are born persons—we gain clarity and freedom. Our choices in parenting, curriculum, motivation, and discipline are transformed. Tactics such as bribery, shame, fear, intimidation, and manipulation become incompatible with our respect for a child's personhood.

Understanding why Mason begins here equips us to educate—and raise—not products, but people.

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Sources

1. Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 334
2. Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, p. 260
3. Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, p. 260
4. Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, p. 260
5. Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, p. 69
6. Charlotte Mason, Parents and Children, p. 69
7. Charlotte Mason, A Philosophy of Education, p. 14
8. Charlotte Mason, School Education, p. 8
9. Charlotte Mason, School Education, p. 48