The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-04-30
HE YOUR
CHILDREN
By Olive Roberts Bsrtoa
PARENTS NEED. TO GUIDE
ADOLESCENT CHILDREN.
Z1!ss D a sSssssz' 3

Probably the most discouragine
epoch In the life of a child, to the
mother, Is the time of adolescence
And not only to the mother, but
to the child him or herself. Also
1t is the most difficult for writers
on training because each growing
child now becomes on individual
with a vengeance and no blanket
rule of handling can be applied.
Moreover, there is a difference
of opinion about freedom during
these years. We read one day that
we keep our children babies too
long and deprive them of respon-
sibility at an age when they
should be learning to stand on
the own feet. The next day we
hear some master mind declaring
that children during adolescence
need more protection than ever.
because they have no judgment
and may pay too bitter a price for
experience.
1 cannot settle this dispute be-
cause / am on both sides, but I
incline toward the latter.
A Romantic Period.
OuTlHB tiC lOdEtCcutA Auu
teenth years especially, and even
the thirteenth and sixteenth, de-
pending on the boy or girl and
their adult outlook, think 1t nee.
essary for mother and dad to. be
right on the job.
This does not mean that our
children are not to be trusted. but
they are likely to get confused.
~ f,,l
the world unfolds its doors to q
new fairyland. The flowers are
of a depper, and more bewitching
beauty, the moon one long shud-
der of delight; even a street car
or a fence can glow with rosy ro-
nance. Look back and sigh for
those lovely lost years and then
try to realize that your boy or
your girl Is going through the
same thing.
Therefore, we do not want them
disillusioned or bitter. Nothing
should spoil the emotional beauty
of this time.
One thing that will spoil it COM
pletely for any girl Is to tell her
constantly that boys are not to. be
trusted. While it is true that some
are not, think one of the finest
persons in the world Is this very
youth who Is SO cock-sure of him
self and who springs surprises on
us every day by his vagaries and
AS far as that goes, we
could tell him that some girls are
not to be trusted, either.
We parents have two jobs to do
One is to keep youths faith in
youth, the other is to be entirely
aware of the company these chill
dren keep, where they are and
how they spend their time.
What Parents Can Do.
1t is not wise to immune girl
away from boys for too long. Such
q plan has failed in too many ways.
The "crowd" well-chosen AMI
chaperoned Eyes, chaperoned) is
the best answer that I know.
Plenty Of parties in homes, moth
ers and fathers entering into the
crowd" spirit and learning to
know the friends of these children
There will be some trouble, of,
course. Time and again they will
protest. Each day there will be
new problem to face. You will
have to be very cheerful, very
sym pathetic, but firm.
Social and sex facts should be
told to girls by their mothers and
to boys by their fathers, and. warn
ings. are necessary; but to haran-
que on the subject forever may set
distrust or resentment and in that
way lies danger of another kind.
To keep the adolescent child
happy and buisily interested in
is very helpful. Hobbies
should re encouraged and shared.