To Mold or Not to Mold?

Dear Mr Eggen,
    What do you think of this idea?
  "Everyone is molded", said his mother. "We choose what to mold our children with. Nothing grows in a vacuum. If you think you're making a free human being just by letting him grow spontaneously, you won't end up with a free human being. You'll have a patchwork boy composed of whatever is prowling about in his culture. He'll be about as far from freedom as you can get."   (From the novel "Strangers and Sojourners" by Michael O'Brien)
    I think this idea works as a thoughtful response to those who would exempt their children from religious or moral instruction on the grounds of 'letting the child choose for him/herself'.
     Sincerely,
Catherine van Kampen