Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-31
BY MRS. NJ. A. WILSON

-CopUrt0Ht, ID22 bU Mrs. NJ. A. WNSon. Ati
rights reserved
ssT HAVE two children, six and ten
years of age, and am at a loss
just how to interest them in the home,
particularly when do not care to have
them run the streets after school hours.
Could you. suggest something In the
home that will keep them busy| This
appeal has come to me from n mother,
who is also complaining that the chill
dren are developing bad habits, partic-
ularly ut the table.
The mother who is always telling the
child to run away and play, or not to
bother her when she is employed about
her household duties. sdrely makes n
real mistake. Children are active and
full of energy, and have constant de-
sire to do something. This energy
may be turned to good account in the
home IL the mother is wise and can form
a plan that will be part play and part
work
The six year old child can bring
many things to mother that will save
her many steps, particularly while she
is preparing the meals. If she will but
form the habit of sending this child to
make believe market to purchase the
needed articles, as for example: If the
potatoes are in the cellar or pantry,
send Johnnie to the cellar market to buy
you ten or more potatoes as needed,
then set the older child to scraping these
potatoes, and theslittle fellow can drop
the potatoes in pan of water as they
are ready.
have found that when an oilcloth
apron is provided to prevent wetting the
clothing, even the small fingers of the
six year-old child can be taught 10
wash the lettuce nicely. Tiny fingers
can string beans and shell peas. as well
as wash bcets and other vegetables, and
enjoy the task all the while. A little
ten -ycar-ol boy l know in Kansas
City can make the incest butter balls
one would wish to have; to be sure,
mother must cut the butter in small
blocks and prepare the paddles, but
laddie then finishes the job In real
workman like manner Separating
rasins or picking the nut meats from
the cracked nuts, is also work for small
fingers. iHssgA
Mother may group the foods and ar
range them to form story, telling the
child that such and such food is the
one food that will help make nice teeth
pink cheeks, etc.
For bone and muscle we find that in
Group No. l we have the protein foods
milk, cheese, eggs, fish. poultry. meats
dried peas and beans, lentils, cOwpeas
| nuts.
In Group No. Q we have our energy
foods, that will give the child the am
bition to play and romp, as well as
| 4 Le.l H..
| warm--cercals and grains. fiours
roni. potatoes, rice, hominy and other
starchy foods, cakes, cookies and pud.
dings.
In Group No. 3 we have also an en-.
ergy food that is highly concentrated
and should be used carcfully-sugar
molasses. sirups, honey, candies. pre-
Group No. Is also related to Groups
and 3, and helps provide energy ant
heat to keep the body nice and warm
butter. cream, fats used for cooking
salad dressings.
Group No. 5-Thcsc foods are the 20
! liccmcn and help to regulate in bodily
processes. refining the blood stream ant
| furnishing sufficient mineral material tt
the blood stream as to form n sort o
concrete to make bone and tooth struC
turc, apples. pears, grapes, berries
bananas, oranges. grapefruit, fresl
green vegetables. celery, lettuce, cab
bagc, pot greens, parsley. watercresS
green peas. beans. tomatoes. turnips
! potatoes and all the balance of tn,
vegetable and fruit kingdom.
Group No. 6-Water and milk anc
cocoa for beverages and with cereal
Teach each child to think of the food a
growing, and to make mp a little stOr,
about how it grows. The bread. mea
and potato child is handicapped and 1
usually the child who Is continually In
disposed. If the child refuses to ca
certain foods. and the food has no
caused digestive disturbances, the
withhold dessert and some other pleas
urc until 10 complies with your wish +
eat the food set before him.
The Chiids Table Manners
The manners Of the child at the ia
bic quickly reflect that of his elders, an
if you omit from your daily life tn
little nice amenities that go to show tn
natural innate rciincments of the indi
vidual, you can hardly expect the chil
to be polite. SO for this reason in
Sist upon nice table manners. an
though it may cause you little NOR
work, place II napkin at each child
place and teach him by example how t
use it,
No home is so poor, or humble, bu
that nice meal can be carried out
sparkling glass, clean china an
brightly polished silver are to be ha
for the table. Many of us cannot af
ford sterling and cutglHss, but we ca