The Art of Raising a Child Many parents believe that a child comes into this world as a "tabula rasa", a blank slate. They think it is their task to mold the child in order to make him or her into a decent human being. If it wasn't for them controlling their child's behavior, likes, dislikes, appetite and sleeping pattern, they fear, the kid would turn into an anti-social, sleep-deprived, and under-nourished beast. When little Andy wants to play with his toys by himself, a strong voice of reason needs to inform him that a good boy shares with Cousin Kurt. And, if he doesn't do so voluntarily, the toy is taken away from him. This teaches him that