Milford chronicle., 1924-04-18
THE HABIT OF CONCENTRATION
By Edith Lochridge Reid


How long do your children keep al
the things they are doing? Do they
always finish what they start? Do they
know how to concentrate?
Business men tell us that the one
great trouble with the young folks
they employ is their lack Of the habit
OF concentration; they cannot get re-
suits because they have not learned to
focus their attention.
Teachers find the same difficulty all
through the grades. OF course, they
do their best to combat and correct
the fault, but this is not easy because
the trouble started in the nome dur
ing babyhOOd. \
Take the baby year old, for ex-
ample. Mother puts him on the Hoor
and empties a whole box of playthings
before him. What happens? Why
the child is frustrated with the heap.
He grabs a fuzzy dog and turns it
about in his hands once or twice and
throws it down. He picks up a bell,
givessit a few rings, and away it goes.
Perhaps he stacks up two or three
blocks and gives them a kick. Soon
his resources are exhausted, and mo-
ther wonders why he can't content
himself with his playthings.
Well, the fact is, he is in the posi-
tion of an adult who has been atend-
ing too many entertainments in sue
cessiOn; the program has proved too
hectic for his nervous system. 1t is
a case of too much happening at once
and, as a result, nothing is enjoyed
fully.
Give the baby one thing at time
to play with and make that thing in
teresting. If he has dog, let him have
a little blanket to wrap it in or a ring
to slip on and off the dogs neck for
a collar. There should be some asso-
citation between the toys.
If he is playing with blocks, let him
build a garage or the schOolhOuse
where brother goes to school or Dad
dy's Office or even the cupboard where
mother keeps the cookies.
In any case, if the central theme of
playtime is to be 'dog," insist that the
child stick to the theme or if blocks, ="
then keep his mind on that subject.
When Mary starts to color a picture
in her drawing book, see that size fin
ishes it before beginning another. If
BObbie decides to make a Noahs Ark
menagerie with his modelling clay, en-
courage him to finish it before he
makes furniture for sisters doll
house.
Yet, while doing this, we need not
force monOtony into playtime. By
merely keeping an eye open mothers
may guide the children in such way
that without friction they will form
habits of concentration even in their
playing. "Finish what you begin" is
a slogan every child should learn and
follow, for it is the haphazard young
folks who were the scatter-brain chill
dren. Yet, they are not the ones at
fault, but rather those who had their
in charge.
Watch a group of children outside.
There is always the child who plays
about five minutes and then spoils
everything by saying, ooh, let's not
play this any MORE" Then, If the
game is changed, in possibly another
five minutes you will hear the same
suggestion. This is the child who in
DabyhOod had all his playthings emp
led in heap before him every morn
ng and was not taught tolenjoy any
)ne of them distinctively.
Many mothers, who are conscienti-
JUS in other phases of discipline, fail
leplorably when it comes to keeping
children interested in zone thing at a
ime." 1t takes a great deal of patience
o achieve success, but surely the re-
ward comes in knowing that your
,hild goes out into life equipped with
hat most excellent qualification, the
lower to concentrate.
y y X y y X y n Y Y Y Y X X y X
"Let there be a purpose in all
your legislation to recognize the |
right Of man to be well born, well |
nurtured, well educated, well en-
ployed, and well paid. This is no |
gospel of ease and selfishness, or |
class distinction, but a gospel of |
effort and service, of universal ap- |
plicatiOn." Calvin Coolidge.
Ten states have passed progress
sive kindergarten laws enabling
parents to obtain kindergartens
upon petition. Plans are under
way for the introduction of a pc
tition bill into the South Carolina
this season. Organiza-
tions in some other states are pre-
pairing for the introduction of sim
liar bills into their legislatures
next year, Persons who would be
interested in working for better
laws or more kindergartens may
have information by writing to the
National kindergarten Association,