The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-04-04
WORL- D 8
FINEST
JOB
Dr.. D. A. Thorn, Chief of Bos-
ton Habit Clinics, Gives Most
Valuable Advice

Ten "Don'ts" for parents are
given by Doctor D. A. Thom,s OF
Boston, in the latest bulletin OF
the Children's Bureau of the De-
partment Of Labor.
'Child Management" is the
title of this bulletin, written by
Doctor Thorn, who is director of
the Boston Habit Clinics for
Children and of the Massachusetts,
State Division of Mental Hygiene.
The bulletin is intended to bring
70 parents in concrete and prac-
tical form the results of modern
research in the mental hygiene
Of childhood.
Best Job In World.
There is no finer or more i'm
portant job than being a parent,
states Doctor Thorn Parents con-
troll the destiny of the child and
make his environment to a large
extent
His advice to parents could be
summarized as follows:
Don't be oversolicitous. Children
may become self-centered and de-
velop imaginary complaints simply
because Illness is looked for.
Don't baby" your children too
much. The child who is closely
tied to his mothers apron strings
is deprived of the chance Of learn
ing how to live with his neighbors.
Don't try to give your children
everything they happen to demand.
Very early in life the child must
learn that things can not be his
simply because he desires them.
Don't Bribe Them.
Don't bribe. So often we hear,
rNow, Johnny, be good boy and
mother viii give you q penny.
Soon Johnny viii no longer be
satisfied with one penny and must
have two or three.
Don't cheat. Frequently parents
will mfsrepresent or lie ITO keep
q child quiet or gain q desired RS
suit. Suddenly they waken to 'the
fact that their child has no regard
for the truth. and wonder why.
Don't make meaningless threats
he good or the doctor will cut
your tongue out" or BE quiet or
III lick you" may do one or two
undesirable things: control the child
through terror, which is disastrous,
or breed contempt for parents whose
threats are never fulfilled.
Don't talk about or laugh at
children in their presence. Self
consciousness is harmful and quick
~ developed.
Don't Be cold and repeIIing. A
parent who Is too busy to bother
with a little child's nonsense will
never be bothered by his real prob
lens.
Don't be discourteous. Children
have their own plans, which are
frequently utterly disregarded by
adults. If you must interfere. show
consideration.
Don't disagree over discipline be-
fore the child. Settle differences
Positive "Do's'' to parents are
summed up by Doctor Thorn in the
following:
Must Be Companion.
'To the child the parent should
be companion, friend, ana cOnfloant.
The mental ability Of the parents,
their control of their emotions, their
interests, particularly their interest
In the child, their ambitions or lack
Of them, their moral standards
these all determine what the child
shall make out of the endowment
that nature has given him.
Some parents who read to their
children or tell them stories ami
answer their questions in an inter-
esting and intelligent manner
though they do not alter the chill
dren's intellectual equipment, do
furnish a rich soil in which the
children may develop, and thus af-
feet very much the point which
their development may reach.
Parents can even determine
what kind Of atmosphere the child's
mind shall grow in-one of discon-
tent, wrangling, deceit, and hate, OF
one of cheerfulness, sincerity, and