Milford chronicle., 1930-06-27
HOME EDUCATION
SYMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING
Lillian Weston

Lillian Weston
In dealing with children, one
should remember that little ones
like primitive people, delight in or
namentation, and that gratifying
this taste is often really essential
to their happiness.
A child once saw in a store win
dow a pair of tasselled boots that
were the exact counterpart of some
! she had long admired in the posses
sion of a friend. She begged her
mother to buy them for her, being
then in need of pair of shoes.
The mother said she would think
about it, but, finally, went off shop
ping alone. When she returned, she
handed her expectant little daughter
a parcel. The little girls hands
trembled with eagerness as she un-
tied the package; she was so excit-
ed by the idea of seeing her feet
shod like her friends. There would
be three tassels embroidered on the
toe of each boot, and the tops would
be finished off with real silk tassels
that matched! Then, when she took
them out of the box, she saw-a
pair of bronzed kid shOes-WITH-
OUT ANY TASSELS.
"Oh! Mama." she walled, these
shoes haven't any tassels."
81 know it," was the calm reply,
"but they are much better kid than
those with tassels, and cost a dollar
less"
The child shed bitter tears of dis
appointment, but the mother prided
herself on being practical"
Two or three years later, the same
child wanted a wOrk-basket, and,
with a lively recollection of the
shoes without tassels, and similar
experiences, asked permission to
help choose it. The mother assented,
and took her daughter to a store
where there, were work-baskets OF
all shapes and sizes. The little girl
soon found one that suited her. 1t
was lined with cute little pockets,
and was furnished with two pairs of
scissors, a thimble that fitted her
exactly, cotton and silk in assorted
shades, fancy pincushion, an en-
cry ball in the semblance OF
strawberry and other sewing acces-
sories. The mother asked the price
of her daughters choice and was
told, "Ten dollars"
Now ten dollars may seem a :
shocking price to pay for a work |
basket, but is it not because We US
ually fail to consider it's value rela-
lively? One seldom has more than
one or two work-baskets in an en-
tire lifetime. Perhaps the saying, J.
"A thing of beauty is joy forever" /
was never more fittingly applied.
This mother was not poor; she
could have spared the money easily.
However, she gasped with dismay
when she heard the price. She had
made up her mind to spend four
dollars on a work-basket, and look
ing around the store, found one eX-
actly like her little girls choice, ex-
cept-it lacked the decorative fit
-ings.
won't this do as well?" she ask
ed, adding, 81 will give you my small
scissors, also needles and thread,
and buy you a thimble. Six dollars
IS too much to pay for those extra
1 really can't afford it."
The child said nothing, as she had
1een trained to ecOnOmize; but the
our dollars was actually wasted, as
she never cared for the unfurnished
basket her mother bought.
Years afterwards, this mother
wondered why she had so little in
luence over her daughter, and en-
led others whose children cOnfided
n them. She did not realize that a
lift of misunderstanding came be-
ween her and the child when she
irst refused to indulge her taste for =
fripperies," and that it kept widen
ng through the years.
Some mothers have enough imag- {
nation to wander in the child's
1Orld, hand in hand with their lit
lie ones; but those who have lost
he vision of youth, and pride them
elves on being practical" would
o well to remember that "fripper-
es" have their place in the great
cheme of creation. If anyone doubts
!, let him note how the bare, hard
ocks are usually softened by vines n
nd MOSES and how eXquisitely
nted weeds and wild flowers, with .
heir luminous green leaves and 1
sndrils will run riot over rubbish
cap in a vacant lot converting the 8
gly surfaces of old tin cans into
pples of beauty.
"Our growing realization of the
Ill Importance of the impressions
f early childhood as a foundation 4
,r later development in every line
as served to so emphasize kinder y
arten training as to make it al h
ost imperative. p. M. Keen, De-
artment of Education, Junior Col q
ge, Michigan. n
Are the little children of your
enjoying the advantages 8
kindergarten training? If not,
rite to the National kindergarten u
West Fortieth Street, s