Milford chronicle., 1926-03-19
THE SENSITIVE CHILD
John-Faux Douglas

One thing that most people do to
the super-sensitive child is to make
him more sensitive. Some children
are naturally self-conscious; others
become sensitive through sickness or
because of some physical deformlty.
David, who was somewhat frall,
was one of a family having three
other boys, all very strong. David's
mother wanted little girl and so
she proceeded to make one of David.
She bought him little pink slippers
instead of shoes, in defiance Of the
fact that he lived in the country;
prohibited him from going anywhere
alone and cautioned him so much
that he became afraid of horses,
COWS and dogs; and she continued
calling him baby names even atter
he started to school.
He was so babied by his probably
well-meaning mother and so teased
by his brothers that he grew super
sensitive and very unlike the other
bows. He became self-conscious
when looked at or spoken to and
was frail and thin from too much
confinement in the house. His mo-
them should have allowed him to
run" as she did her other boys and
then David would have been as nor
NAL and healthy a lad as each OF
them turned out to be.
I knew another child, Donald, who
grew quiet and unconfding when
with his family because when he
was very young no attention was
paid to the little things that he talk
ed about. When he would speak OF
the objects around him which ne
had observed-often for the first
time-some member of the family
would say, "Oh, that is nothing new.
I knew that ages ago. They did not
intend to be unkind, but they dld
discourage any attempt at CONVEX
sation that he offered so that he fin
ally came to the table, gulped down
his food, asked to be excused ana
hastened away to play with outside
companions. Donald is grown up
now but he still has the habit OF
eating dinner, at home, practically
in silence; when he goes out, ne
proves excellent company. Every
member of a family should have his
"say' in the flow of family CONVEX
satiOn.
If a child has any physical defor-
mites, they should never be men
toned, Friends who call and offer
pity should be told privately not to
do so before the child, lest it cause
him to seek seclusion, feeling
strongly that somehow he is differ
ent."
Jim had one leg left shorter than
the other by infantile paralysis. His
family never mentioned it in public
nor in any way alluded to the fact
that he was "a little lame boy.
They did, however, all they could to
correct the deformity.
Jim became a leader with his
"crowd." He danced, swan, played
golf and tennis and could do most OF
the things that the others did just a
little better than they. Probably not
half of them ever noticed the slight
limp that Jim had, because he was
so entirely unconscious Of 1t him
self. He would have been an entire
ly different fellow if the family had
taught him that he was different"
and could not do what other chill
dren could do.
"It has been proved beyond dis
pute that the kindergarten, properly
understood and administered, gives
a start that is educationally, ethical
", and patriotically worth while and
therefore makes easier and more
rapid the advance of the child whose
mind has been thus awakened; and
who, by having learned cooperation
with others and the meaning Of the
word authority, is reader to fall into
line in the public school regime, ond
advance more easily and rapidly.
Elizabeth Harrison, President Emer-
titus, National Kindergarten and Ele-
mentary College.
If you wish to get a kindergarten
opened, write to the National Kin
] q n