Desire is something no child has to be taught

Desire is something no child has to be taught. Early in the developmental process, most of a child’s desires center around physical needs being met or objects that attract interest. If a child is securely attached to her parents, she will readily and without guile ask for or tell them what she wants, either with nonverbal cues or words. 

The general posture of children is to name what they want: unvarnished, uncalculated, and unambiguous. Their repertoire expands as their parents (hopefully) guide and direct the energy…