The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-17
the Kid
a Chance to
ShOzOSense
BY MARTHA LEE

cAot 4AOW ASAAE Il R0A(AAOS AA5A4e "a
complete jurisdiction over a child
legitimately may extend has been
a matter of conjecture for as long
as there has been a world. 1t
differs with geographical location,
with generations and races. Some
think it lasts until the death Of the
parent, and some believe that a
child should choose his own path
as soon as the poisoning Of the
age of reason.
Which only starts another argu-
ment. Just exactly what is the age
Of reason? And after hitting upon
a definition of that, how can one
tell whether one has reached that
age?
And there you are, back on the
vicious circle again, splitting hairs
over the definition of wor0s and as
surance OF. diagnosis.
Certainly some children mature
mentally much more rapidly than
others, and even more certainly do
some children never mature men
tally. AS far as reaching an age of
reason, they just never do. And so
the parent of such an offspring just
hadn't better release hold until he
is helpless to do otherwise.
However, there are children who
can be relied upon, whose judgment
of thing is more level-headed Cor
whatever it is people are supposed
to be when they reach the age of
ceaSon) than their age would make
seem possible. And these should be
allowed to make decisions, to ex-
press ideas concretely, and all those
sorts of things that are supposed
to belong to the elders exclusively.
There is nothing more humiliating
to a healthy, normal minded, bright
child than to be treated like half
wit. There is nothing that will
cause more friction between parent
and child than the failure of that
parent to recognize the mental abil-
ity of his child and continue to make
decisions, even about the most trivial
Of incidents in the child's life.
And there is nothing that dead
ems character like the sedative of
always having some one else to do
the thinking for one.
Here is a letter from an incensed
child:
Dear Miss Lee-I am boy of is. tell
you my age first because that is one OF
the strong points that my parents bring
up. Unfortunately flor mel I am an
only child. And honestly, Miss Lee, al
though I am Is and rather big for my
age, wear long pants and am in high
school, you would think I was and
half-wit at that. I'm surprised that they
allow me to cross the street without one
or the other of them guiding me.
I must eat this and that, because it
will give me something or other; I hadn't
better play out, because might get hurt;
1 have to wait until they either read all
the boks I want to read, or until they
have time to find out about them IN case
they do not already know. must study
Just SO long. read just so long. play just
so long, go to bed at such and such time.
You know, kid stuff.
Now it isn't because want to do some
thing they wouldn't approve of, but 40
want some freedom of doing few things
my own way. I'm SICK Oh peills OoeScu
around Could you suggest any way that
I might impress them with the fact that
I am capable of doing a little thinking
for myself? PENROD'
Well, heavens, if you state your
case so emphatically to me in let
ter, you surely can wax eloquent
enough to convince them that you
long since have reached the point
where you are capable of taking care
of yourself. Seems to me you are
bit afraid of them.
Why not start things for your
self without asking their ADVICE? |
mean small things, of course. Sure
" there are occasions in your life
when they are not within shout
ing distance, when you must rely
upon yourself. The next time one
of these arises, make it a point to
tell them how masterfully you
handled the situation. And besides,
how's for just asserting your rights
as normal minded individual