Milford chronicle., 1926-04-16
WHEN is THE CHILD OLD
ENOUGH TO OBEY?
Maude Freeman-Osborne


A child is "Old enough to obey"
when he begins to show intelligence.
When John Henry was eight
months old, he began pulling the ta-
BILE cloth as babies have done, pre-
sumo, since that article was invent
ed.
1 recalled the days when his cous-
in Lloyd used to visit at our house
and stand spreads and table cloths
had to be folded back and movable
articles put up high and very high
for Lloyd could climb! 1 remember
ed that when Lloyd was older, he US
ed to throw himself on the floor and
bump his head in a spasm of rage.
At fourteen, Lloyd refused to attend
school; at sixteen, he was staying
out till eleven every night.
decided that John Henry must be
kept from forming bad habits and
must learn obedience.
So when he again reached for the
table cloth, said, "NO, no." very
firmly and when he persisted 1 plac-
ed him in his high chair. He cried
but l took no apparent notice of his
walls. But as soon as the anger fad
ed from his voice l turned his atten-
ton to something interesting and
placed him on the floor again. One
day 1 had to repeat this treatment
three or four times in succession.
On hearing the words, mo, no." he
would lay his head down and give a
pathetic little wall. Then he would
look up and smile and reach for the
table cloth again.
But it did not take long for him
to learn to respect the meaning of
mo, no." nor to learn that he could
be happy even if he couldn't always
do as he wished. Although he was
very active, it was never necessary
to move things out of his reach, and
he was a very happy, lOvable child.
His cousin had a baby-walker in
which he could skate" all over the
house almost as fast as man could
run, and his poor, OverwOrked ma
ma" would skate" right around af-
ter him putting the spreads back on
the tables, picking up the pieces of
china, remaking the beds, and so
forth. By the time he had awakened
from his nap, she would have the
house in order ready for him TO
start all over again.
But what can 1 do?" she would
ask helplessly. 'He is not old enough
to be made to mind"
l had sent her John Henry's out
grown baby carriage, and he slam
med that around the house, and
smashed it up. Later both she and I
had to have new carriages for our
second babies.
When Lyle was two, John Henry
and l visited at his home again. At
breakfast, Lyle picked up his plate
and gave it a Babe Ruth slam right
over his shoulder. 1t landed in the
warming Oven-alas for the plate!
Everybody laughed; he was mot old
enough to be made to mind" The
next morning he threw a pail which
landed upside down like cap on
his cousin John Henry's head. No
thought of restraining him ever
seemed to occur to either his father
or mother. John Henry was unhurt,
it was "a cute trick" and the child
was SO active!"
When Lyle was five, he still was
mot old enough to be made TO
mind" During our visit that year
he threw a plow-pOint at his cousin
cutting a cash in his forehead the
scar of which he bears to this day.
The wound soon healed; but every
body said of Lyle, who was really
bright and lovable, What hOrrid
chill" He had never yet been "Old
enough to be made to mind!"
"By skilfully directed activity the
kindergarten develops the individu-
ality, personality and character Of
the child so that he enters the grade
school with initiative and originality
but withal an attitude of helpfulness
in working with others. &C. N. Jen-
sen, State Superintendent Of Public
Instruction. Utah.
Are the little children of your
community getting systematic early
training? If there is no kindergar-
ten for the INTO attend why not get
one opened? The National Kinder
among friends here Wednesday.
garten Association, West Fortieth
Street, New York, will gladly assist
you.