If you want to rear a practically perfect child, you must perceive your child as being practically perfect a priori. The phrase a priori is translated from Latin to literally mean "from what comes before." This is in contradistinction to the phrase a posteriori, which naturally is translated as "from what comes later." In order to rear practically perfect children in a very imperfect world it is vitally important that you honestly perceive your child as being practically perfect a priori.
The power of a priori perception cannot be overstated, but it can be confused. A priori perception is not the same thing that Steven Covey refers to in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, as Habit number 3, "begin with the end in mind." Covey is speaking in terms of knowing what it is that you want to accomplish before you begin to start working on it. This is not exactly what a priori perception is.

A priori perception is also not the same thing as developing the burning desire to achieve a definite thing, which Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone discuss as the PMA Principle Two in their longstanding best seller, Success through a Positive Mental Attitude. Again, like Covey, Hill and Stone are speaking of merely visualizing distinctly that future happening that you passionately want to occur, which again is not what a priori perception is.
More essential than these two still important and worthwhile ideas, however, a priori perception is the actual knowledge to a moral certainty based on sensory experience that a stated condition does truly exist. In order to rear the child you want, you must be able to look at him and know certainly that in that body rests the practically perfect child's soul that you want to exist.
You must know this fact empirically; the same way a sculptor knows from experience his proposed work of art is contained within his targeted lump of clay. You must know it with the faith by which you have learned and accepted your most sacred beliefs. You must know it the same way you know that the sun rises every morning, that gravity works, and that one plus two does in fact equal three.
A priori perception of your child's practical perfection is the first step in helping her achieve her own state of Greatness! Only by believing in him fully will you be able to help him maintain his ability to perceive, plan, prepare, practice, and then perform. Without this certainty of your child's nearly flawless condition you cannot easily help them to do the right things in life.
A priori perception is but one key first step of rearing practically perfect children in a very imperfect world, but it is most assuredly the easiest to do. So, start out on the quest with nothing but faith in your child and continue to proceed that way for the rest of your lives.

Learn more about this author, Kenneth Besser.
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