Seems pretty straightforward forward, right? Wrong. 

None of us actually think that children are born bad, so it seems like it would be cut and dry. However, this principle is often misused and misunderstood, so let's explore the potential of a person—a child. 

Miss Mason held a compassionate view, believing that children are not blank slates, but rather individuals with their own inherent potential for both good and evil.

I found this principle is commonly challenging to grasp, especially since it's easier to contemplate it in theological terms, considering Mason's philosophy is built on the pillars of the Word of God.

It may seem that Mason is suggesting children have the innate ability to discern between moral good and bad, leading some to believe they might choose not to sin. However, Ambleside Online emphasizes that “Principle 2 should NOT be understood as a theological position on the doctrine of original sin, but rather as a heartfelt belief that even children who have faced significant hardships, once regarded as unable to lead honest lives, can indeed learn to differentiate right from wrong when given the right guidance and support.”

So what is meant by that, and why include this in her principles if it has no theological significance? Join me as we jump through the looking glass to a faraway land to familiarize ourselves with Miss Mason once again. 

Mason's third principle concerns authority and obedience, stressing the natural and necessary need for both. Authority and obedience… I can sense the eye rolls already. These two words often carry a negative connotation in our society today, don’t they? 

Hold those horses for a moment and allow me to shift your perspective, because Mason isn't referring to authority in the strict sense of "Do what I said because I said so!" or demanding blind obedience merely because it’s expected. Instead, she's highlighting the importance of one's liberty.

What does that mean? And how does it shape our role as mother-teachers?

Instead of rewards or bribes, Mason insists that we are limited to three true tools of education: the atmosphere of environment, the discipline of habit, and the presentation of living ideas. 

Together, let's unpack what these mean and how they can be applied to real life. How atmosphere is more than aesthetic, why the slow work of habit training brings lasting freedom, and how living books and ideas nourish the mind far more than dry facts.