On page 34 of Random Talk on Education, Locke had a strong sense of restraining desire, obeying reason and forming habits since he was a child. He believes that children are irrational when they are young, and adults should ask them to be rational. When a child grows up and has his own reason, adults should respect him and let him obey his own reason, and adults should let go. The following is an excerpt from the original words of the book:
It is right to restrain desire, but I don't agree to completely obey the guidance of reason. Many times, the direction is guided by intuition and inner love. Reason is more about how to go and help get there after having a direction. In addition, obeying rational guidance is mostly in the case of external restrictions, while obeying internal guidance is mostly in the external environment, which is not a matter of choice.
When I was young, obeying reason or obeying people seemed to be a watershed. If I obey reason, I will obey my own reason. If I obey others, I will lose the ability to form my own reason when I grow up. Therefore, it is a certain rule and reason for children to obey clearly, not blindly follow others.
Locke also realized that too strict discipline would depress and castrate some self-weak children, but they would not be as promising as bohemian children in the future. The same method has different lethality to different children, and each child has different natures. If the child is stubborn, he can be more restrained. If the child is obedient, it will arouse his anger. This is also the harmony of yin and yang, seeking balance. In fact, the growth of children is from an imbalance to a balance.