The Right to Legitimate Authority and Care

Sor Juana sought mentorship and guidance throughout her life—from confessors, patrons, and intellectual companions. She distinguished between authority that supported her flourishing and authority that aimed to control and suppress. For children's rights, this concept protects their entitlement to legitimate authority—adults who wield power in service of the child's development, not parental ego or institutional convenience. Legitimate authority involves accountability: parents and educators must justify their decisions, listen to children's perspectives, and adjust practices when causing harm. It contrasts with authoritarian control that demands obedience for its own sake. Children need guidance while developing their own judgment; this concept ensures guidance is transparent and responsive. It protects children from abuse of power while affirming that children genuinely need adult care and direction. Practical implementation includes accountability mechanisms, child grievance processes, and training adults in responsive authority. Sor Juana's life shows that adult guidance becomes oppressive when it silences rather than supports child development.