The Washington times., 1929-01-05
Child Authority
Gives Helpful
Advice
By Constance Cameron


r UCKY is the child who re-
~ sides in a town which boasts
of one or more nursery schools,
and lucky is the child whose
mother takes advantage of one
of them to teach her baby"
how to handle himself in rela.
tion to other youngsters of his
own age.
In the old-fashioned families
an institution Of this kind was
unnecessary. BY Old.fashioned
families l mean families like the
one my great-grandmother had.
She was the mother of IL children
and adopted thirteenth. There
was no danger Of the younger
children being spoiled or of social
adjustment being made difficult
Tor them later. 1t was a give
and-take proposition all the way
around. They learned early in
life to share. They learned that
toys must often be given up so
that each might have a chance
TO play with them. They were
made acutely conscious of the
fact that the world held other
individuals who had rights and
privileges akin to their own. So,
when they trudged the long mile
to the country schoolhouse and
found other children there it was
no surprise to them. here were
no wrenches of adjustment, be
cause things hadn't always gone
their own way at home.
But with the modern families
Il seems that three is considered
q huge number of offspr'ngs, and
the family boasting an only child
Is easy to find. The "only" chill
dren in particular need to attend
q good nursery school before they
enter public kindergartens, for
an 'on1y" little person, growing
for five years among adults. is
pretty apt to know that he is
s'the baby" and therefore eligible
TO liberties and privileges that
only he receives.
It is astonishing how long the
little rascals will let us wait upon
them after they are able to do
things for themselves.
In nursery schools the children
are taught to take care Of them.
selves. In the ones / have visited
I have gathered that there is no
directed play requiring close ap-
plication, or efforts beyond the
capabilities Of the wee people
happily busy there, But they are
taught to play happily and peace
fully with children : Of their own
age. They are on an equal foot
ing.
IL you have no nursery school
to which you can send your very
very young child, see that he has
plenty of companions of his own
age. They won't always agree.
Don't expect it. Stand in the
background, ready to help them
make adjustments when they need
you. But as far as possible let
them work out their own prob.
lens.
Did you know that your own
two-and-a-half year-old could wash
his own face and hands, comb
his own hair, pour his own milk,
button his own clothes, dress and
l1ndress alone? I'm sure he can
II you allow him to, because I
have seen children Of this age
doing these things happily and
very successfully, and II other
mothers children can do them,
yours can.
''There is a button open on your
waist, announced a nursery
school teacher to a wee mite who
stood before her. Please button
it.,s tI tant,v lisped the child.
ssOh. surely pou can" replied the
teacher. Holding the button be
tween two fingers, she said:
'sNowput the hole around the
button" And the child did, much
10 his surprise and delight. Twice
within the next is minutes he
opened his blouse just so he could
lout ssthe hole around the button"
proud? I should say 50. Aren't
we all proud when we discover
that we. can do something which
people have always presented to
us as difficult?
Find q nursery school IL pos
eibie. If not, supply your baby"
with others Of his age for play
and allow him to do what he can
do for himself. He will surprise
YOU. and you will be giving him
& helpful foundation for his life
when you are no longer his whole
world.