The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-12-06
Your Chiid's Toys
BY II. ADDINGToN BRUCE,
Author OF The Riddle OF Personality.
npsvchology and Parenthood." etc.

Christmas-the chiIdrens seasons rapidly
approaching Already, no doubt, your little ones
are bombarding you with hints as 10 tne Toys
they hope you will give them.
But do not let them cajoe you-do not OF
vour own accord fall--into the mistake OF giving
them too many and too costly toys.
That would be no true kindness to them 1t
might have mischievous results of most SER
ious sort.
know how the son of wellto-do parents
who made il a point when he was a little fellow,
10 give him every toy he wanted. Also they
gave him many toys for which he expressed no
desire at all.
n nattered nothing to his father and mother
that he never played any length of time with
any particular toy, and that the more they gave
him the more he demanded
They did not deem IL of any significance tnat
simple inexpensive toys soon came to De regard
ed by him with something approaching con-
tempt.
Their one thought was to please and surprise
him by unexpected and varied gifts. They could
do this, as they had plenty of money. SO why
should they not do 1T?
The answer is to be found in the character
of their SON. now a student in a fashionable
preparatory school
He l. as sturdy. manly appearing fellow But
he is Unfortunately selfish. strangely nervous, and
colossally lazy.
His mind works sluggshly Sometimes he
seems 10 be quite without imagination, quite
barren OF ideas. Already his parents have been
| forced 10 acknowledge that he Is inferior to
| the average boy.
! They do not realize however. that this is
chiefly the outcome OF his pampered upbringing.
Still less do they realize that II is in large part
result OF the avalanche OF toys with which
he was flooded during the first years VI life.
| Beyond the slightest question IL Is better TO
| give a child no tops at all than 10 give him too
many.
Give him no toys and he will utilize az play.
| things common objects in which BY THE EX-
ERCISE OF HIS IMAGINATION he fnds quail
! ties that entertain him.
To strengthen the mind BY exercise Is one
of the great purposes OF toys. For this reason,
So T'"r child, be sure 70
THING TO
/ VARIOUSLY USED AS YOUR CHILD'S FANCY
| DICTATES
| The toy that leaves nothing to the magma
tion and is adapted TO only one use is the poor
| est kind OF toy. II Is a toy Of which your child
is certain to tire quickly. Expensive, compl
Gated toys fall conspicuously into this class.
On the other hand the box of building blocks
| the boz OF paints the not too costly doll-these
are toys with which the child's imagination car
| work to good purpose
But IL YOU multiply toys, IL you give them
| too abundanty then comes indifference, safety
neglect In place Of n creative working OF the
Imagination. there will be an unhealthy cravine
for novelty, for variety. for toys that thrill and
astonsh by their glitter and ecompexity.
Simplify your child's playthings and you will
thereby strengthen both his mind and his char
acter Turn his nursery into toy shop and
you are in fair way to spoil him mentally and
morally
Parents remember this when you set out 10
buy your chids Christmas toys. Get him only
those toys which will be OF real constructive
value to him.