Full Idea
One of the chief moments in a child's upbringing is discipline, the purpose of which is to break the child's self-will in order to eradicate the merely sensuous and natural.
Gist of Idea
Children need discipline, to break their self-will and eradicate sensuousness
Source
Georg W.F.Hegel (Elements of the Philosophy of Right [1821], 174 add)
Book Reference
Hegel,Georg W.F.: 'Elements of the Philosophy of Right', ed/tr. Wood,Allen W. [CUP 1991], p.211
A Reaction
A standard view for his time, no doubt. No sensible parent doubts that children need to be civilised, and taught to recognise the needs of others. I hope the general aspiration in our society to 'break' a child's self-will has now faded away.