Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-03-15
MAKE A PAL OF
THE SMALL SON
Wise Mother Will Show Inter
est in Trivial Things.

by b. GRAY. National Kim
dergarten Association, New York
City.
Jimmy, whatever are you doing
with all those boxes and bits of
woodl What a litter you've made.
and how untidy the room is u
Mummy, these aren't Just boxes !:
this Is my train, and the pieces of
wood are freight cars, and this big
box is the engine. See. | fastened
them all together with string"
why do you not play with the
train and the beautiful red engine |
bought you? II is no use buying
trains II you won't play with them"
The boy did moi answer. Small
children cannot tell why they do
things: they require to be under
stood. Playing with a ready-made
train was n thing, but creating a
train out OF boxes. bits of wood and
string was quite Notwithstanding
Infinitely more ~engrossing and de-
lightful-
I'll be so glad when nurse comes
back from her holiday" sighed the
mother to me. Jimmy cannot grow
up too quickly for my taste. / look
forward TO the time when he will like
the things that / like
Mummy, are we going near the
train track?v inquired Jimmy as his
mother dressed him for the afternoon
walk.
Yes. we must cross the tracks on
the way to town"
"Goody," and the little face lit up.
Wait, wait, Mother. / want to see
the train go past and he clutched
her skirts as she was hurrying across
the track.
We'll. just one and a bored ex-
preston settled upon her face.
Soon the great. black engine came
laundering along. dragging Its train
of cars. The man In the little house
beside the tracks let down the gates,
and raised them up again when the
train had passed The little fellows
whole being quivered with excitement
at the passing OF the black monster,
and as the sound OF 1t died away In
the distance he waved to the gate
keeper, the salute was returned. All
this the mother missed, 20 ~engrossed
was she In her own thoughts
Mummy unused Jimmy as he
tripped along beside her. when | get
big I'm going to be a gatekeeper like
the man in the little house.
Indeed you aren't. I'm not going
to educate you to be a gatekeeper
like the mar In the little house.
The child said nothing but he had
mn uncomfortable f~eeling-as though
he had done something wrong.
wen soon be at the shops, Jimmy,
and you'll have great fun looking nj
the things In the windows"
The first shops contained clothes,
and 1t was Jimmy's turn to be bored.
Then they came to q toy shop; Jim
my vas Interested, but his mother
was not She moved on to look In
the window of the next shop, while
the boy enjoyed the toys, but the fear
of being lost, such a nightmare to
young children, SO filled Jimmy's
mind he was afraid to take his eyes
of his mother, so the pleasure of the
window was lost.
During the walk Jimmy's nurse
had returned home.
"Oh. NanaI- he shouted, leaping
into her lap, eager to talk. I'VE saw
a train with four cattle cars and two
oil tanks. 1t went this way" and he
jumped down, and initiated the train.
Miss Strong clapped her hands and
laughed, entering fully into the child's
enjoyment
"And Mr.. Stoop knew me and
waved from his house, but Mummy
says that ! cannot be a g~atekeeper.'
he added wistfully.
Never mind, perhaps you will be q
president of a railway and a when
and where the trains must co.
.Oh, yes" He frightened. .Perhaps
Mummy won't mind my being a pres
ident."
In the next room his mother felt
Just a little bit jealous Of the joyful
conversation between her son and his
nurse, but no. she would not bother
to interest herself In these trivial
things. Let the boy grow up first.
and then they would be pals.
But will there ever be a time when
this mother and son will be genuine
pals? Does not such intimacy begin
at birth, and continue all through
childh0od7 For such relationship the
mother must see life through the
child's eyes. There is no trick In 1t
every mother who wishes to do so,
can 1t requires effort, and unselfish
thought, but the reward In true pleas
ure Is out OF all proportion to the
work and sacrifice.