The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-10-24
PARENTS As EDUCATORS

TeashInr EIdsIen.y b. An ThIng.

teaching lille tcnNY "a Al lhiuga
lBy Edith l1chr.dgo Roiil
a business man not long ago was
complaining seriously ~ his iue'll-
cient office help and be remarked,
"Thc trouble b.. these folks never
learned 20 use their heads when
they were small" Now this man
was very close 90 ono-hundred per
cent correct In his statement Too
many children are not trained NJ
home 10 make decisions, take re-
sponsibility according 10 their age
and strength, or meet emergencies
without shrinking. Let us say that
Boobies duty is to pick up his play
things But he picks up two or
three ard leaves the rest scattered
about Right there he should be
taught n lesson in thornughness.
Very young children can be taught
20 hang up their coats and hats II
the hooks are placed within their
reach, and thus they first learn the
lesson ~ order and ~ care Of their
clothes.
Let ns suppose that Dorothy Is
asked 20 wipe the dishes But she
asks, Mother, where's the towcl?"
and calls from upstairs, II can't find
my apron;" and then she asks,
where does this pitcher helong?"
Some mothers expcnd as much ener-
gy getting a child ready % DO n thing
as they would use in doing themsclv-
cs. Let Dorothy look around until
she finds a place for u and II she
uses her head n little she viii dis
cover both the towel and her apron
without calling % her mother. II
the daughter is busting. see that IL
does not have 10 be gone over by
mother afterwards. This is the most
helpful method for mother, besides
making little daughter competent
and competent person acquires
poise and confidence naturally.
II want you 20 do an errand,
son. says mother, and instantly she
IS besieged by a vollcy Of questions
"Wherc's the basket" Where's my
pocket book" II can't find my roll
Ter skates" And II this mother is
not using the efficiency method, she
win be- tired out simply making rre-
paration for the trip
20 I'D rather DO things myself
than get the children ready to help
me-" Is often the excuse; but that is
decidedly the wrong attitude for q
mother to take, I she considers both
herself and the child Let tn chill
dren find out BIZ experience where
things are and they'll soon be glad
% take responsibility when .hey are
trained 20 assume H. Even very
a
deductions and following out
10 a logical solution.
How often we see households
where there is a panic from rising
time until the last child is or 70
school Come. now, ''g seven
thirty You'll be late If you 'lor't
hurry MS cold this morning and
rainy too Wear your mittens and
ruhbers and be sure to get hand
Thus mother follows the
boys and girls about, and they know
she won't let them be late or forget
anything, so they are utterly un-
conscious Of any responsibility ia
the matter
Now the wise mother whose house
hold is builded on methods Of eff .
cheney will let the children be late. .
JUST ONCE II necessary That viii
bo enough The disapproval Of
teachers and school-mates viii do
more than months Of talking and 4
urging on mothers part. and IN adj
iiton the children viii have been
thrown on their own responsibility.
The share Of the burden thus lifted
from mother in no way equals the
great gain made by the children in
a child at five is forming most Of
the personal habits that he will use
At twenty. and just so far as mother
does things for him now. so much
will his efficiency be reduced in lat
~ life.
Let's make the children see that
10 stand up under responsibility and
20 cultivate resources within them
selves are praiseworthv achieve
ncnts. Only thus Do the boy and |
yrl grasp The idea Of TRUE SERN-
CE.