“BY NOW, I have come to that the fact of being a ‘child’, of being wholly subservient and dependent, of being seen by older people as a mixture of expensive nuisance, slave and super-pet, does most young people more harm than good,” writes John Holt in an essay, titled ‘ The Problem of Childhood’ in his book.

Holt’s book “The Escape from Childhood: The Needs and Rights of Children”, insists on preserving children’s dignity as individuals and points out that today’s nuclear families have become a prison for both children and parents alike. He further adds that relationships with children at societal, parental and educational levels have to be a joy of shared experiences and responsibilities.

The Indian edition of the book published by Bhopal-based NGO Eklavya has been printed and marketed with permission of Holt Associates, Boston. The Hindi edition of the book “Bachapan se Palayan” is also available.

The soft-bound Indian edition is moderately priced and is a must for parents, child activists and teachers. Holt surprisingly advocated the right of children to work for money after institutional hours and the right to manage their own education. The book has 15 essays that are well written and forces readers to ponder over their responsibilities towards children.