Children instinctively know ritual and magic, and those with sufficient imagination can accomplish some of the most amazing feats. They also know of the forces of Paradox and why not to do magick around Sleepers: almost all grownups — and children who act like grownups — think they know everything. Magic zap-guns and so on tend to turn back into ordinary toys when grownups are around, but by that same token, the bogeyman in the closet has to hide when mommy's around because she doesn't believe in him. Sleepers do have their uses.
Children are among the most powerful and the most dangerous of all mages. Some believe that children lack the necessary willpower for magick. These people obviously have not been around many children, or have forgotten what it is like to be a child. Most adults lack the willpower to be mages.
Children are among the most powerful and the most dangerous of all mages. Some believe that children lack the necessary willpower for magick. These people obviously have not been around many children, or have forgotten what it is like to be a child. Most adults lack the willpower to be mages.
— Mage: The Ascension — Book of Shadows
"The resilience and plasticity of children, from the psychological to the cellular level, is nothing short of astonishing. It is the miracle of life. Stem cells can become anything. Children with severe epilepsy have a whole hemisphere of their brain removed and yet their body learns to compensate and function at full capacity. This is even more true on the preternatural level. If you start young enough, anything is possible."
— Dr. Schreber, The Secret World
