Milford chronicle., 1929-12-27
Home Education
A p p r CIATE THEI r
OBI EDIE NEE
Mary S. Slower

teacher of some years experience.
A fairly wide acquaintance with
boys and girls made her soon rate
very highly with the young niece
end nephew whose home she was
visnting for the first time since they
were babies.
Elma and Raymond were not only
bright, sturdy and good-looking but
so well-mannered and obliging that
Miss Ballard felt her sister should
be very happy mother. On the con-
trary, Louise was worried, fretful,
nagging parent. The sharpness with
which she called the children from
their play caused the listening aun-
tie to wonder if their good behavior
might be just cloak which they
put on in her honor.
Both the children came in as
promptly as little folks can be ex-
pected to tear themselves away from
an engrossing game, but the frown-
ing mother scolded instead of prais-
ed. Day after day this sharpness was
so common that Miss Ballard finally
put a half-teasing, older-sisterly
question. Don't you demand rather
too much, Louise? See how respect
full and obedient your youngsters
are compared with all their play
mates"
"Disobedience among the neigh
bors' children is my reason for hold
ing Elma and Ray to strict account" 4"
explained their mother, soberly.
Most of the parents in this part Of
town are so easy-going that 1 feel
called upon to take a very firm
stand. If my children should once
get to acting like the rest, there's no
telling where it would end"
Il understand your reasoning, but
let's study the question more. Who
ever distrusts children tempts them
to go lengths as the old saying is,
whenever chance comes. Your kid
dies are too loving and fine to rebel,
but over-strictness with them may
endanger the sweet comradeship
that means so much in family life.
All children have strong sense of
justice, and they must know them
selves to be far more obedient than
the rest. Doubtless they ought to
be; but why not praise them for
minding so well?
Frances Willard's mother was
noted for her habit of encouraging
each child, yet when asked how she
would do differently if living her
life over again, she said: 4 should
blame less and praise more
Another counsel from lang ex-
perience has impressed me so much
that you can take this sermonizing
for an attempt to share advice of
which l myself was greatly in need!
Louise, was just overwhelmed with
shame when favorite summer
school instructor urged us, teachers,
to feel more appreciation for what
he called juvenile docility. This man
pictured himself as watching any
school ground when the last bell
rang and the children, as he said,
left the games they loved more than
they loved to eat for studies of lit
tie natural interest to them.
"Of course boys and girls should
answer the school bell promptly; it
is right to expect as willing re-
sponse to every summons from the
home doorway. Yet it often takes
much self-control and good nature
for them to drop what seems so i'm
portant to them. Children are not
unlike us. To understand their dis
may we need to recall some time
when we've been called away from
a good visit or from piece of work
we were in a hurry to finish. I've
found the memory of such times a
very present help to patience with
children who Jagged little; it
makes me feel that those who come
on time deserve a word of praise"
The young mother had stopped
sewing. "I've had hundreds of such
Interruptions" she said, "yet have
never considered how trying they
might be for children. Being at the
door has often served for an excuse
to make Ray do some errand at that
instant whether urgent or not.
Thank you, Sister"
"The program of kindergarten ed
ucation is not only an important
contribution to child experience, but
if rightly conceived and carried out
adds much to the whole body of
technique, which rightly belongs in
all of the elementary schools, and I
heartily endorse the further extern
sion of kindergarten education in
the United States. IN. Ernest
Townsend, Principal, New Jersey
State Normal School, Newark.
If there is no kindergarten in
your school, the National Kinder
garten Association, West Forteith
Street, New York, will tell you how
to work for one.