Norwich bulletin., 1920-11-08
CHILD TRAINING AT HOME
Do | Understand My childrenf [

70 OnoefStand NY Ohtiorenl By Anne Goodwin Williams, National Kindergarten and Elementary College.
 T just love Miss Brown" said Betty Jane, she's the understandingest person l ever knew !"
 What a wonderful tribute! Is there anyone of us grown ups who does not long to deserve just this sort of approv- al from the little children whom we love?
 As we recall our own childhood experi- ences, do not the times when we were misunderstood stand out very distinctly and very bitterly in our minds?
 A mother told me of a little child who was angered almost into mysteries by having his lisp mimicked and nlocked Do you want me to thing for your" lit- tie John asked q guest in the friendliest fashion. Yes, in deed, you darling, l want you to thing for me" the visitor said laughingly initiating his lisp. The childs ears were keen. He recognized | the correct pronunciation although his ! lips could not yet form it and his face l reddened as he said in grieved voice, 'T didn't thay thing. 1 thaid thing. "oh. you precious lamb. thing for me or thing for mel don't care. I just adore that | lisp of yours,''
 Did she get the song-tte child's of- fered gift to guest? No, emphatic ally no. She had killed the joy of self expression. She had grieved the boy and made him sdiky and she had truly been guilty of an act of rudeness to a trusting little child.
 And yet she though that she loved ehil- dren. But she lacked the understand ing of the sensitive nature of a little child Ridicule is even harder to endure when one is four years old than when he is fourteen Or forty.
 But rttde and cruel as it is to laugh at the mistakes of children. 1t is far worse to laugh at their fears! Just because VIC know that there are no gobl HIS turk ing in the dark, we find 1t difficult to un. cerstand the agony. the actual sufferins of a sensitive. timid child who is forced to fight for his fears all alone.
 All lovers of children condemn the is norant nurse who threatens, '.rhe Boogey Man will get you in the dark tonight fl who came home after making some aft. ernoon calls and found her little son if bed with a high fever and in his deliriun he cried out over and over again, Don let the policeman get me-Don't let hin take me away from my mother-Don't lei him-Don't let him ,'' The thoroughly frightened nurse confessed that she hat put him to bed as punishment and hat left him there, saying. Now I'm going out to get the policeman to take you l away so you won't see your mother again She had left him there alone I thinking that his screams of terror wheI door opened or closed would "teaci him a good lesson"
 Dorothy canfeld Fishers Understood T Betsy" Is most delightful study of child who was sometimes misunderstood , a story so charmingly told that growi people and children can read 1t togethei with great enjoyment.
 And, after all. is not that the grea secret of understanding-the doing O things together, talking together. walk ing together, sharing each others joyl and sorrows?
 Never mind. honey" said wee Isis [, r her dearly loved Kindergarten teacher never mind if you are hoarse. will tel , the children a story today and you won have to talk" Isn't this true illustra tion of the mutual desire to be of servic . which we so long to have underlie ou relationship to the children who are lit tie children for so very few years?