The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-01-04
Kindergarten
Helps for Parents
- - -
Articles Issued by the Department
offhe Interior, Bureau of Education
and the
National KfudergarfenASSociafior
BABY'S INTELLIGENCE
BY MRS. HARRIET HELLER.

s@NAA jay iiiAle llOl lOliS pSO tildl
'ventured TO ask admittance to a beau
tiful rose-embowered cottage across
the street from my new home.
A charming young mother met me
at the door holding her baby on her
arm. She endeavored to answer my
question in a gracious and neighborly
way, but was constantly interrupted by
the child's cries.
While We stood there the infant was
gently changed from one arm to the
other, then PIT upon her shoulder.
Later when we were seated within, she
rested her upon her knee in the time
honored position supposed to give COM
fort to disturbed "tummies." All to
no purpose. The little ore fused and
fused
Quite naturally we fell to talking of
babies. The young mother was thor
oughly versed in modern lore; she
knew rules, regulations, symptoms,
remedies, foods and all the rest, and
was enthusiastic about the modern sci
cnce OF bringing up Infants.
las far as I can see, there Is moth
ing the matter with her." she said.
Possibly her teeth hurt her. She is
young to have teeth, but sometimes
you know" and so on. The observa-
.tion about the teeth was made in the
same tone of voice, with Il purely inn
personal infection, which she would
have used to say, "The machine is cut
ting the thread"-as If teeth were a
scontriyance to be adjusted by bolts
md screws. Not once in my presence
had she spoken to her baby.
Wanted to Be Noticed.
1t was evident to me that her mod
iern training, while essentially desir-
able. had largely destroyed the instlnc-
tive expression Of the natural mother.
To her, baby was primarily a mechan-
ism, and If she did not know of any
mechanical means Of correcting an up
set condition, She was quite at loss
what to do. Baby, for her part, it
seemed to me, was persistently deny
Ing this classification. She was not
only something, but somebody, and she
wanted the fact recognized.
! thought at once of the way Froe-
bel, the founder of the kindergarten
shows us how to meet such a need in
his Mother Play book, and how /
wished I could try it. Just then the
mother was Called ia the 'nhane
and seized my opportunity.
Miss Baby was comfortably depos-
Tied on couch near me, but after a
moment or two continued fretting and
tossing her hands restlessly. Leaning
over her touched the little fists gent
~, thinking this greeting, "HoW do
you do, little one? You are getting to
he a big girl, and you want some one
to know believe you want some one
to notice you and talk with you"
My touch must have aroused her no.
tice because she gave heed. next
slipped my forefingers into the palms
of her hands and baby-fashion she
gripped them. "How do you like to
hold my fingers?' / asked. Very gent
ly then | began to raise her into a
sitting position and she smiled as she
felt her head leaving the pillow. When
she could hold on no longer she fell
back. Three times did this, allowing
her TO fall back more quickly each
time. Baby enjoyed the slight shock
in falling, and in her little way in
creased in strength and in the con-
sciousness of strength, She was now
perfectly satisfied; her need for recog'
milton and self-activity had been met.
Song for Baby.
The conversation at the phone still
continued and while waiting l tried to
recall the song to sing with this little
game. In O few minutes, when baby
was ready to play Failing, Falling
again, | sang softly, lifting her this
| time by holding my hands at her back
Down gees baby.
Mothers pet
| Up comes baby,
Laughing yet.
Baby we'll may laugh at harm.
| While beneath is mothers arm.
Down goes baby,
Without fear;
| Up comes baby,
! Gaily here.
| All Is Joy for baby while
| In the light of mothers smile.
Upon her return the little mother
expressed great admiration for my
skin as a baby-charmer. ut was quite
| simple" i said and described what hat
happened She was much interested
and wanted to know more about F'roe
bel's Mother Play.
A few days later when she came tt
call had my old worn copy of thu
| Mother Play ready to shoW her. |
| surprised her TO learn that this bool
which is used so much by kindergar
i teners was written especially for moth
ers With children up to six years old
1 and she listened eagerly rs 1 showed
her the six or seven games whicl
/ baby might play. My new &c
lquaintance thanked me most ap
preciatiyely for the help l had givel