White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-01-09
HOME EDUCATION
The Childs First School is in the
Family"-Froebel
CHILDISH IMITATORS
Josephine Weynan

Josephine Weyman
"Never mind, nobody'll know" said
Mother with smile at Aunt Edith
as she picked up the biscuit which
lad fallen on the perfectly clean
kitchen floor and put it back on the
plate. "Never mind, nobody know,
echoed little Caroline later, picking
up small piece of bread from the
floor of the cafe and putting it on
the bread plate.
"That child is a born imitator,"
you will sometimes hear parent
say, and then watch amazed!y as
mother or father do or say some
thing which they certainly would
not want initiated!
All children are natural inlitators.
How much harder the parents task
would be If the child did not so un-
consciously teach himself.
I know of no other method of so
easily giving children the right stand
ards of growth and development than
suggestion and example. Here I'M
doubtedly lie the fathers and moth
cr's joy and duty. 1t is for them to
suggest in stories, in pictures, in play
as we'll as in their own personal
lives, just what they wish their child
rem to be. Let them wish it hard
enough have faith enough to try
hard enough for it, and, as in the
old magic tales, the wish is bound
to become reality.
Have you ever heard a kndergart-
ncr ask, "What does the Little Pig
do with his two little ears?-'and the
children eagerly respond, "Why, he
listens, he hears, with his two little
ears!" How much easier, then,
for the teacher to obtain and keep
the attention of her class!
DR.. Dewey, of Columbia Universe
ty, tells of a child who quickly
picked up dolls dress from the
floor: "I'm not going to teach my
child to throw her clothes on the
floor" she said. So very often the
children's play with their dolls,
which to them are so actually identi-
fed with themselves, will present
the opportunity for suggestion of
lasting value. How sorry Dolly will
be to have to sleep in such a runpl-
ed bed!" or f'I am sure that Dolly
must like the nice way her things
are put away" For this reason the
wise mother will provide box of the
proper convertible shape of her lit
| tie girl has no trunk for dolly's
clothes. What little girl doesn't long
for trunk for her baby's small be-
longings.
Stories and ,pictures are particu-
larly valuable for right suggestions.
Not that every story must have a
moral, but rather that good stories
invariably suggest nobler, lovelier
way Of living, an act of courage, a
gentle thoughtfulness, or sustained
endcavor which at the story's end
will bring its own deserved reward
If parents only realized how suscepti-
BILE children are to such suggestion,
that they could accomplish much by
merely presenting the right pictures
and stories, certainly they would ex-
anime more carefully the books and
pictures placed before them.
20, Robert, don't do thatl" ex-
Claimed a mother when she discover
ed her small son distorting his face
before the mirror.
"I'm trying to look like the boy ir
the picture" he answered pointing
to the colored supplement.
Duncan came to dinner recently
with big bump over his eye. mo
l haven't been fighting" he said il
answer to his mothers inquiring look
II interfered and the fellow I wanted
to help didn't understand and strucl
me. He doesn't seem to know much
anyway. He's a great big chap ane
only jim the second grade. The fell
lows were going to punish him TO
, throwing stones at them"
"Wfy did you want to proven
! thcn?" asked his mother.
II felt sorry for him. Somehow HI
; always makes me think of Patsy"
"Thc Patsy of Kate Douglas Wig
gins story?"
; eyes, he looks like him only he
older. Poor kid, guess he mus
have lost some years like Patsy"
"Have you read the story recent
ly?"
mo, you read it to me when
was a little chap; don't you remem
! ber?"
eyes," answered his ,nothe
: thcuRhtfully.