In Emile: or A Treatise on education, Rousseau says for a child to grow up healthy is to live in a state of nature and not be pressured. It emphasizes that children shouldn’t have to deal with formal education and strict regulations. Children should be allowed to explore the world and learn from the things they see and experience. Children should enjoy their adolescence days and not be pressured to learn everything so quickly. They should take their time to learn and experience things. “Nature would have them children before they are men. If we try to invert this order we shall produce a forced fruit immature and flavourless, fruit which will be rotten before it is ripe; we shall have young doctors and old children” (Rousseau, 7). Rousseau is accentuating on the fact that in order to have intelligent children we must follow the order of education. Following the order of education, will allow the child to grow and learn and “ripe.”

Rousseau highlights how to teach children. Visually showing a child (learning based) has a significant impact rather than teaching from books.  When you visually show a child, they learn and actually have a better understanding of what is being taught. “…Never substitute the symbol for the thing signified, unless it is impossible to show the thing itself” (Rousseau 16.) Rousseau showcases this when Emilie and him were exploring a forest and were trying to find their way back home. Emile was tired and gave up. Nevertheless, Rousseau helped them find their way back. This experience helped Emile actually learn instead of forgetting what one learns if it was a lecture taught at home or school. “Teach by doing whenever you can, and only fall back upon words when doing is out of the question” (Rousseau 20). Experience plays a vital role on learning. Rousseau’s ideology is connected to Locke’s idea about experience.

Happiness of a children’s childhood is very important to Rousseau’s ideology. Every child may not live to become a man and therefore they should enjoy their childhood. Rousseau questions that why should we invest so much time in education if you don’t know if you will live another day. It takes bravery to choose the less taken, hard road and not regret the decisions we choose.