The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-06-27
HH YOUR CHILDREN
g. Ol.s Robssts Bsreoa .
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"wiibur, when you get to the corner, why do you always cut across the lot and come in the back way? have seen you do 1t every time for the last week."
 "oh, just because" said the little boy. T do 1t both ways"
 But soon his mother discov- cred that the times the boy did it "the other way'' and came whist ling up the street, Mrs. Porter wasn't on her front porch knit ting. When she was out, those were the times Wilbur scuttled through the lot and did not have to pass the lady at all.
 ESQ.," thought his mother, that's 1t. She got after him and Bert Gibbons the other day for stepping e rose bush. Bert goes the other way and my lad has to pass her alone."
 She was worried. This little revelation of the chiid's charac- tor confirmed what she had sus- pected. Wilbur was not coward when 1t came to risking his life l on land or water, but there was Q quivering cord in him that stay ed raw and sensitive when touch. cd. When touched roughly, that is.
 The rose bush incidont was all over, she knew, as far as Mrs. Porter went.
 -~ Son Like Mother Had Wilbur passed her. Mrs. Porter very likely would have called pleasantly, "How do you do?" or even said, "Hello, there" But he didn't know that. He was hedging, clear case of lack of moral courage. Even if he had been actually guilty of a prank- ish misdeed, his mother would have liked him to pass that porch and go through with what ever was coming to him. What should she do? She knew enough about human na- ture to be sure that talking would do no good. Some people seem to be born that way. Super sensitive and evading issues, and appearing guilty when they arc not. She was good bit that way herself, but years had taught her secondary courage. Remember ing how she had suffered as a girl. she could not bear the thought of what was ahead of her boy.
 She decided to talk to Dr. Brown. Here's what Dr. Brown said:
 "This time you might ask your neighbor to make a little kindly overture toward peace, but Will bur will have to learn to stand behind what he does,> intentional or not. He will have to learn that certain acts, even accidents, bring consequences.
 Responsibility Too Often Shifted
 T believe part of the trouble is that you have never taught him to face results and look them squarely in the face. You knew he was sensitive and shielded him all you could. When he fell, you probably hit the step and said: Bad step for hurting Wilbur or if he got muddy, you may have said. When will they pave that alley?'
 T think, my dear, it isn't ex- actly kind to a child, even a sem sitive one, to underrate his abil- ity to take it, and shift responsi- bility to something else besides his own impulsiveness. It softens fibre and also evades the prin- ciple of restitution. They can't bear the feeling of guilt"
 This is true. A lesson ali chill dren have to learn, and the soon- CT the better. is just plain spunk or sand. A little word of de- served rebuke should not floor them or worm around in their minds. They become monsters of terror that are purely imagina- tive.
 The too-protected child may cas- fly grow up without moral eour- age. If he does he will be unhappy far beyond any power of words to describe.
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