The complete set of 198 Hints are available in paperback from the CYC-Net Press store.
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In their upbringing and development of children and young people, adults make a poor choice when they claim and use power to justify their imposed authority. Power is hard to argue against, is characterised by arbitrary decisions, and is usually yielded only after a struggle. Power sets up an oppositional tone between those who "have" it and those who don’t, and sits uncomfortably with what we know of the Child and Youth Care relationship.
Responsibility, by contrast, is an accountable and developmental concept. It is entrusted by a superior who delegates it, and taught by its holder to others who are learning it for themselves. Responsibility is handed over willingly as a rite of passage to the rising generation. Horace Mann said that in a democracy schools provide an "apprenticeship in responsibility". See www.cyc-net.org/Journals/rcy-8-1.html#edits
In our practice today we know to avoid "Do this or else"
commands, and not to use "because I say so" as a justification for
decisions. Our young charges learn nothing but compliance from our arbitrary
use of power. This leaves them vulnerable and without developed inner
strengths, and with no experience of taking responsibility for
their lives.
