Foundations of Love: The Role of Parents
Children at an early age love their parents because their hearts initially learn to love those who surround them with care and attention from the very beginning, and gradually, love expands to include more distant people. Parents—the first individuals who give a child a sense of security and warmth—create the atmosphere in which the initial concept of love is formed. As stated in one of the sources:"In reality, the heart learns to love only by gradually expanding its circle of the beloved, starting with the closest and ending with distant, foreign, and detached individuals. Therefore, the natural progression of expanding love is approximately as follows: first love for parents, then for siblings, relatives, friends, acquaintances, fellow citizens, people of the same tribe, and finally, as the crowning achievement—love for all of humanity. It is unlikely that one can avoid the necessity of passing through all these stages sequentially, and apparently, someone who does not know how to love their neighbors can never truly love the entire world and all its people, no matter how passionately they might speak about it." (source: link txt)This quote emphasizes that the process of developing love begins with the closest people—parents. In early life, a child perceives the world through the lens of emotional closeness and trust, which are cultivated within the family. Equally important is upbringing—children are taught from an early age that love is not only about receiving care but also about mutual responsibility. As noted in one of the materials:"Children must be taught to love their parents and care for them from the very earliest age." (source: link txt)Thus, the attachment to parents is due to the natural process of forming the child's emotional sphere, as well as the fact that it is the parents who provide love, security, and primary emotional bonds. These initial objects of love and trust lay the foundation for the further expansion of one's circle of close relationships as one grows older.Supporting citation(s):"In reality, the heart learns to love only by gradually expanding its circle of the beloved, starting with the closest and ending with distant, foreign, and detached individuals. Therefore, the natural progression of expanding love is approximately as follows: first love for parents, then for siblings, relatives, friends, acquaintances, fellow citizens, people of the same tribe, and finally, as the crowning achievement—love for all of humanity. It is unlikely that one can avoid the necessity of passing through all these stages sequentially, and apparently, someone who does not know how to love their neighbors can never truly love the entire world and all its people, no matter how passionately they might speak about it." (source: link txt)"Children must be taught to love their parents and care for them from the very earliest age." (source: link txt)