The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-03-16
Child Guidance
by
Frank Howard Richardson
M. D., F. A. c. P.
Black Mountain, N. C., and
Brooklyn. N. Y.
MAKING PROMISES AND
REAKING THEM

"But you promised, Daddy, you
know you promised" That. was
the grief-stricken wall that met
the announcement that business
engagement must interfere with
the long-promised and keenly an
ticipated picnic to the Ridge.
Sister. always intensely loyal to
Dad, maintained a silence that
was every bit as foud as brothers
walls; while mother too, though
she said not a word, showed
plainly that she felt that the
children were in the right, and
were being unfairly treated.
This was the last straw; and
dad, laboring under the custom
airy masculine conviction that mo-
Their and the children were united
against him, burst into angry pro
test. How could he help what
happened at the office? He had
to do his best to make money to
support them, didn't he? Why
couldn't they see that business
must come first, for their sakes
even more than for his
\ grown man forgets how much
store children set upon a promis-
ed treat. Of course plans some
times have to be changed; but
when they do, something every
bit as interesting ought to be sub
stituted. with the consent of the
children. Approached in this way,
youngsters are usually found to
be most reasonable had al
most said indulgent-to their par
ents.
Dad would not think of break
ing business contract, without
offering the other party abund-
ant satisfaction, and buying his
way out of an obligation he could
not fulfill. Is it asking too much
to expect him to make good his
word with his children, in the
same fair way?
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
QUESTION: Dear DR.. Richard
son: My little son will go right
ahead and do what he has been
told not to do, even when he
knows he will be punished for
it. And how can | punish him,
when spanking rolls off him like
water on ducks back? I've
tried making him sit on a chair,
but that doesn't work either; it
would take a strong man to hold
him there.
ANSWER: The problem of eff
fective punishment is the biggest
one in lots Of parents lives.
confess that it has proved so
battling to the parent whose
problems | know best, that he
prefers to concentrate on ways
to keep children so busy that
they won't find it so much fun
to disobey. Plenty of things to
do, and lots to do them with, is
the best preventive for disobedi-
ence that | know. As to what
kind of punishment to recommend
frankly, I'm afraid l don't
know of any that is 100 per
cent effective.
QUESTION: I wrote you to ask
what book on sex you would rec
ommend for two boys, six and
eight; and you told me to give
them GROWING UP, by Karl de
Schweinitz. When l tried to do
this, my step-mother objected,
though they are not her children.
saying that they are too young
to know about sex. What can |
do about it?
ANSWER: Much as 1 regret
the fact that anyone should still
think that boys of 6 and s would
wait much longer to learn about
sex, l am afraid in this case that
neither you nor | can take the
steps indicated for enlighteninp
them. Your father and step-moth7
er must take the responsibility
and it is a grave one-of keen
ing them in the dark. One of
the hardest lessons that lovers
Of children have to learn. is that
we cannot always do the thinoc