Milford chronicle., 1930-05-16
HOME EDUCATION
FEAR AND IT'S EFFECT UPON
YOUNG CHILDREN
Janette Stevenson Murray

In one of our parks last summer,
there was a well dressed woman
with her two little boys. The three
year-Old kept running away. Finally
in exasperation she shook him say
ing, IF you don't stay beside me,
I'll throw you into the bears pit and
he'll eat you up"
Another /distraught mother in a
big hotel silenced her ObstreperOus
son with the threat, "NOw you make
less noise or I'll go away and leave
you here alone"
An ordinarily intelligent and well
educated woman had her three-year-
old daughter in a store. The baby
kept handling things on the counter.
Don't do that" exclaimed the mo-
ther, "or the man will put you in
the cellar"
We often hear declarations such
as these, even in this day, though
there is a general feeling that the
time has passed when the child was
scared into obedience by being told
that the bogey man would get him.
Such threats strike terror to the
child's heart when he first hears
them. There is a shock, the effect Of
which is never overcome, even
though he soon learns his parents
have no intentions of doing as they
say.
One should never punish by shut
ting in a closet or a dark room; new
er force a child to Ido anything he
greatly fears AS much as possible
fear should be kept out of the little
child's thought. If he is afraid to go
to bed, attention should not be call
ed to the fact, but some one should
go with him through the dark hall
and shadOwy stairway, encourage, |
befriend him and make him happy |
so that he will forget about his
fears.
The use of fear in discipline |
should be strenuously avoided. A
frightened child is cramped and |
handicapped with lack of confidence, !
chronic anxiety and morbid dread. |
He has no desire to use his powers |
or assert his ability.
From the time Martha was three
months old, she had been so severe
ly punished by her mother that she
had become thin, nervous, secretiVe,
and afraid of everything. She had
always been restrained-neVer al
lowed to talk or give vent to her
feelings so upon entering school
she would not open her mouth, not
even to read out loud. The teachers
knew she could read because they
noted her interest in the printed
page when she thought herself un-
observed.
An aunt and a neighbor went to
see her teacher who became espe-
cially interested upon hearing the
story of Martha's life. Persistent
kindness and encouragement at
school have helped the child over
come fear She reads aloud in her
class and the teacher is planning toj
have her read before a visitor as
soon as she is quite willing.
Another timid child became so
frightened at a rather cross teacher
that he could not read. His mother
went to see the teacher and told herl
that the boy was affected in some
thing the same way by his fathers
stern manner and gruff voice. The
mother said, Toms throat fills up
and he can't read. Try little love
and praise; he will get rid of his
fear and be able to read" The tea
cher tried this. 1t worked out just as
Toms mother had said it would.
If we inspire children with a feel
ing of confidence, it will help them
to develop naturally and will be the
first step towards the habitual de-
sire to do the right things. Fear
paralyzes; confidence bestows that
freedom which is the foundation of
success.
"The social values of the kinder
garten revealed in the consideration,
lair play, good craftsmanship, de-
light in anOther's success, sympathy
and a consideration and respect for
lther personalities are, in my judg-
nent, immensely important; and
when one considers that in those
plastic, absorbent, retensive years of
age these qualities are
nculated and developed and exalted,
{ is plain that a permanent and val
liable contribution is made to the
character of the individ-
T. Marshall, Presi-
lent, Connecticut College.
Are the little children of your
attending kindergarten?
If they are being deprived of this
benefit, why not try to get a class
,pened? The National Kindergarten
Association, West Fortieth Street,
New York, will gladly assist you.
Write for advice and leaflets.