Growing up in a time when the phrase "children should be seen and not heard" was the norm of the day, really pains me. I'm almost ashamed to admit that my parents would proudly declare that they could have taken me anywhere and that I would have stayed there and not been a burden to anyone. My education was very distant; I was not close to my parents and was estranged from them for many years. However, this was not the path I chose for my family; in fact it forced me to be the exact opposite. I honestly believe that, due to my upbringing, I use the term loosely here, that I found it so repugnant and difficult to understand that someone could treat a child with such contempt that I swore I would never repeat this behavior. I've never been appreciated, my opinions have never been taken seriously, well, I've never been asked if I'm totally honest. I have always been told how to act, how to think and how I should behave. I was given no explanations, I just do what I say and don't ask questions, a very strict British upbringing. Seeing children as true citizens, entitled to the privileges of the country in which they were born or reside, seems very natural to me now and why shouldn't they? Despite their age and inability to vote, debate and understand the complexities of their society, children have rights as true citizens. After all, they have opinions, concerns, hopes and dreams for their future. They may not express them in the way an adult would, yet they contribute to their community, family and educational context through curricula that encourage and support children's agency (Department for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) for the Council of Australian Governments, 2009). Growing up wasn't what I would call... middle of paper... the great diversity that families bring to a community; some may be in stark contrast to our beliefs and practices. Allowing children to care for their siblings without adult supervision may seem abhorrent and tantamount to child abuse, however, we must be aware that our opinions are just that, they are our personal opinions. Personal biases and actions can have a great impact on the learning and development of the children we educate and care for. This can be seen as extremely ignorant and disrespectful to families and their communities (Harvard University Center on Child Development, 2011). Children are active citizens and involved students; It is my duty to continually support and respect all children and families, regardless of their beliefs and personal circumstances. I need to continually reflect on my actions, opinions and professional practices.