The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1933-12-28
GROWING WITH YOUR CHILD
Happy Holidays

We want the children's entire
holiday vacation to be happy, not
Just one day Of lavish attention
with its inevitable let-down. But
unless we prepare thoughtfully for
the occasion, a number Of upsets are
likely to occur.
There Is, for instance, the child
who receives an abundance of toys,
most Of them for indoor play; af-
ter hours Of playing with these toys
he becomes bored and listless, or
perhaps actually destructive. Send
this child outdoors to play Of
course with something interesting
to do; send him to fairly distant
neighbor's to show off his new cap
or sweater, outdoors to try the new
pail and shovel on the snow, out
doors to see who else in the neigh
borhood found a sled under the
christmas tree. If he feels like
hammering and pounding, give
him nails and hammer to play with
for while.
The holiday season is often
trying one for young children when
routine is broken, heavy, rich food
| is the rule, and there is a success
sion of guests with the child the
center of endless attentions. When
mothers nerves, too, are frayed
by the extra work and stimulation,
the stage is set for a clash.
Avoid an open clash with the re-
bellious or fretful child by giving
him something else, something in
teresting, to do. Perhaps an old,
familiar toy, or a few simple tasks
to do, will serve to awaken fresh
interest in the new things. Remem-
Der that the child, because of the
excitement, the irrigularity, the
guests, the food, the gifts attend
ant on the holidays, is already ov-
fer-stimulated.
Let the child eat at a small table
by himself, away from the temp
tation of rich food. If this is not
the usual procedure, it can be pre-
sented as special privilege doub-
ly exciting if there are small
guests. Fill the children up with
lplenty of nourishing foods before
bringing on the sweetmeats.
Keep a not too rigid, but reason
able regularity; if the child is al
lowed to stay up late one evening,
he will make up the time with ex-
ira maps or an earlier bedtime the
next day. OF course talk this over
with the children; let them decide
on which evenings-say they are al
lowed three out of six or sevtn-
they will stay up late. If they have
always been reasoned with, and
are used to cooperating, they will
accept this procedure as matter
of course. 20 .Aha', =
!, Don't forget that. physical exer-
else is needed. It will be difficult,
unless there is a favored outdoor
toy among the new presents, to get
in as much outdoor play and ener-
lgetic exercise during the days
when there is so much passive en-
Itertainment going on, and so many
Interesting things to do indoors.
The fretful, bored child lacks eth
err physical exercise or he lacks
regularity.
Don't label an already over-tired,
Iover-stimulated child "ungrateful."
There Is no such thing as an un-
grateful child. Gratitude is an
adult emotion; the child calmly &C
|cepts as his right-as it is-every-
thing that is done for him.
And never, never threaten to send
the new toys back to Santa Claus
as punishment His playthings
are the child's own property; we
have no right to take them arbi-
trarily away from him. If he is TO