The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-02-28
Bl OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON

Bl OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON All of us must remember mat we are ourselves but chiiureh grown tall.
 In doing that growing we have never attained perfection. In fact, almost the reverse is true, because not only have many of our youth full shortcomings been accented as we aged, but on the road we DICK ed up certain worldliness that shaped our conduct.
 Therefore it is not intelligent to assume that we, as parents, are always right and that the child IS always wrong.
 Another thing for us to remem-' Der is thta whatever standards we go by, ours are grown-up stand ards. Yet, we are very Quick t0 expect in the child with all his ignorance and inexperiences, ccr- tain perfection that makes no al- lowance for time.
 Parental Privilege. Again and again we do thlnss ourselves that we would not tol- crate for one moment in our chii- dren. We assume right to do as | we please, sort of license We practice, just because we take It that age and power give us privi- lege. It Is q short-sighted adVan- tage to take and must puzzle our boys and girls very often. | It is a good thing for all parents that children accept such. a state l of affairs as philosophically as they do. However, this is not the real point to be stressed here. This concerns more our stocktaking Of ourselves.
 once we get 1t into our heads that we really are lazy on occa- sion, or are too ready with our social life, or that we probably are selfish and mean, and all the other things that most human beings are, 1t is going to be our greatest ally in understanding children. 1 Furthermore, if we thought every time we left some work un- done, or stayed up too late, or lost our tempers, that some one was going to scold, we might develop q certain bond with our little folk, because we would know exactly how they feel when 1t happens.
 It is best for us to learn to LOOK at things from the child's stand point, as well as our own. This gives an excellent perspective. Are we being fair, or are we making him resentful? Are we laying a foundation of trust, or fear? or love, or rebellion?
 And are we consistent?
 DO we permit thing one day and condemn 1t the next? Are we amused one moment and cross about the same thing an hour | l..kz tat ntII \ lH. thetic, and then without warning crochety nd critical?
 Winning Child's Respect.
 All child behavior turns to the right under two things--love for his parents and confidence in them. This covers about every thing. TO maintain these things, plus respect is the parents first responsibility. There is never con- fidence without respect.
 The child who really trusts. loves and respects his mother and father, and who looks on them as friends, will contentedly submit to justice, even though that justice Is harsh and heroic at times. Chil! dren have q well-developed sense of fair treatment. They know generally when punishment is de- served. They will accept telling or even needed punishment and try harder to please.
 Parents, being all powerful should learn to use that powey' carefully. Upon 1t depends the success of the home. To learn anything one must trust the teachs CT, and parents are In every sense teachers, and more.
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