The Washington times., 1933-10-04
Secrets Of
Health
BY DIR. LOUIS E. BISCH
Important to Keep Our
Children Happy


Inasmuch as the character
makeup of the adult is really
the result of what he thought
and felt as a child, it is OF
paramount Importance that
parents and tea n ers keep
childhood as happy as possible.
Build happy memories into a
boys or girls mind aid the
chances are he will become ar
optimistic and energetic man
or woman when he grows up.
Contrariwise, if sadness is char
acteristic of a child's early
years, disappointment, skepti-
cism and cynicism are likely to
becloud his point Of view later
on in life.
Anyway, children are entitled
to their childhood, so to speak.
They have an inalienable right
to happiness; a childhood that
may be looked back upon as
ideal.
An argument often advanced
when the training Of children
is discussed concerns the fact
that since real life is no play,
but a hard and stern business,
we should harden our children
so that they may, as early as
possible, be prepared for the
battles that lie before them.
Coddle or Harden
There is, to be sure, a super
ficial plausibility in this theory.
We do not want to protect and
coddle our youngsters to the
extent of making them softies
who will be unable to stand on
their own feet. And everyone
can think of spoiled children
who grew up just that way
fearful, mild-mannered, mild
tempered and without sufficient
energy and push to make their
own way in the world.
On the other hand, what is
obviously overlooked in such a
Spartan program is a funda-
mental and telling principle
that has to do with other known
facts about developing minds.
I refer to the undeniable
truth, already alluded to, that
the thoughts, ideas, feelings and
experiences recorded in child
hood are never wholly eradi-
Gated. Crowd the early years
with too many repreSsions and
a repressed, possibly even a
neurotic adult is certain to re-
suit.
We cannot allow our children
to run wild. We must, in addi-
ton, socialize them. We are
duty-bound to train them as
best we can for the future.
Middle Course
A middle course, therefore, is
undoubtedly best. Let us re-
strain our children wherever
necessary, punish them also if
need be, but never let either be
too severe or too frequent.
Even more important is the
necessity for explaining why
one must punish. That helps
nightly in building up an in
dependent character. At least
the child then knows what it is
all about. This prevents re-
sentiment on his part or a sense
of having been unjustly treated.
What is more, he is made to
realize why punishment is 1lec-
eSsary and why it pays to be
good.
Then again we must remem-
Der that happy child is
likely also to be a well-behaved
child. Chronic naughtiness
more often is due to i'll health,
or misunderstanding of q
child's real nature on the part
Of parents, than it is to any
other single factor.
DR.. Bisch's Daily Diet Hint
OF all the fatty foods, but
ter and cream are the most
readily assimilated by most
people. Substitutes for butter
should have a melting point
no higher than that of butter.
Oleomargarine is such an one.
It looks like butter and has
a similar consistency. It is
made up of a mixture of several
fats and to this milk or butter
is added. Later this mixture
is cooled and "Salted' in the
same manner as is true butter.
Copyright 1888, King Features
Syndicate, Inc)