The Washington times., 1928-08-10
Child Authority
Gives Timely
Advice
BY Constance Cameron


Nothing married the peace Of the
balny summer day. Droning bees,
Intermittent chirps from the trees
and the laughter Of children from
the sandpfle were the only sounds
On that warm Saturday afternoon
when Mr.. Smith lay stretched in
heavy contentment on the porch
swing, idly following story in his
fsvOrite magazine. Suddenly the
words nv father uttered in his
sons high childish voice. attracted
his attention. and he listened I'M
moving but nerves strained to
catch the sentence in its entirety.
My fathers nice. like him
cause he gives ME d nickel when
ever 4 ask him for II. z
The magazine cropped to the.
swing and the father lay quite.
still, a sick empty feeling engulf-
Ing him. The willingness to bring
him the magazine; the offer to go
upstairs after comfortable slip
pers, the eager kiss upon his re-
turn home he had felt that there.
was no other father and son who
maintained quite the bond of good
fellowship which he and sonny en-
Joyed.
And now Il like him cause he
gives me nickel whenever i ask
him for it, The words were
burning hurt. They were a mighty
arm shaking to bits his tenderest
secret.
Yet. was It Sonny's fault? Per-
haps he had been wrong. Perhaps
he had bought his sons good will,
instead OF keeping money thing
apart and keeping the loving lit
tie activities for themselves alone.
The man thought long and ear
nestly: Sonny was such a baby.
Yet. he evidently was learning that
nickels would buy things he de-
sired. The father took the four
year-old lad on his knee that eve
ming and told him that he was to
have an allowance of pennies
each week. no more. but that he
could count on that as his own.
Sonny spent the whole amount
on the day he received ii at first.
then he learned that ii he saved
three pennies. they could be spent
later iii the week
Luckily. this father realized soon
enough that his son must be
taught the value and purchasing
power Of money and that the child
had been receiving in spasmOdic
giffs. entirely too much.
It had come to be- something
very desirable and very easy to
Z get. So the father set about II
To inform the little boy just how
hard he had to work each day In
order to earn money for the home.
He bought sonny new pair of
shoes and paid for. them in pen-
MES. allowing the child to give
them to the clerk. His eyes
opened in establishment and he
satd:
my, what ! lot Of five pennies
Il takes to get me q pair Of shoes
doesn't it
The mother took him to the
grocery store and let him pay for
3 loaf 81 bread with pennies. and
the child quickly learned to real
lie the value OF the things he had
taken for granted, by comparing
their cost with his weekly allow
aace of five pennies.
The next year. the allowance
was increased to 10 pennies, and
10 on in proportion until at the
are OF is. the lad was buying
much OF his clothing out Of his
own money. And not only that,
he learned to save some each
week. 30 that when he particularly
wanted an article which cost more
than his weekly allowance. he had
4 reserve fund to draw from.
After all, in living, it isn't our
wise saving Of money which -
paramount. 1t is our wise spend
Ing OF it. The only way a child
can learn how To spend inteIli-
gently Is to give him d stated
sum and allow him to spend it as
he sees fit, learning by experience
whether what he has purchased
IL worth the price he has paid
R@NNs = 49, . g +