That the first teacher of the child is the mother should not
be startling, for the primary orientation of the infant is to its mother. This
provision of nature in no way minimizes the role of the father in the Bahá'í
family. Again, equality of status does not mean identity of function.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a
letter dated 23 June 1974 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
to an individual believer; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. 1)