Evening star., 1936-10-17
Make Few
Allowances
For Young
Common Sense and
Tact Needed in Man.
aging Children.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

TACT is required in handling chill
dren quite as much as when
dealing with grown-up people. Much
of the trouble that arises between
teachers and children, parents and
children is caused by lack Of tact,
or in palmer words. lack of good
sense.
If you wanted a grown-up person
to do something your way. grant q
request or a favor. and you found
him irritable and tired, you would
do your best to put him in . better
mood before making your ideas known.
You know that your chances Of Sue
cess with him are scant In his diffi-
cult humor. but when he feels better
there Is every hope Of q successful
ending You wait q while until the
atmosphere clears.
Children, more especially those In
the Junior high school and high school
grades. often get home in the after
noon tired to the point Of exhaustion.
They are close to their limit of ner-
vous energy and can stand very little
in the way of demands for their at
tention or service. Yet, as soon as
they enter the house, before they
have had a chance to hang up their
hats, somebody wants them to do
something right away. I've been
waiting for you to come home. What
kept you? want you to pick these
nuts for the cake. Do hurry up."
If the child bursts into loud and
angry protests it is not to be won.
dered at. He has been looking for
ward to rest, to q few moments Of
peace. All day long voices have been
prodding him to do this, not to do
that, to go here and there and keep
on going. All he wants to do now
Is to do nothing, be nothing, feel
nothing for about 20 minutes or half
an hour, until he renews his strength.
Give him that time. Also give him
something light and tasty to eat.
And let him alone. Never mind If
he does not talk. He will talk enough
by and by.
Most children are willing enough
to 60 along with their teachers and
parents, but they do not always feel
eager and alert, ready to undertake
whatever work Is presented. They
are tired some days, without apparent
cause. They feel weary and heavy
footed. Let them alone. Don't prod
them along and exact q high degree
OF efficiency from them. You won't
get 1t because they haven't it to give.
Let them remain in quiet for little
while and you will see the heaviness
pass, their eyes light up, energy
brighten their whole aspect. Then
give them the new work, or the Diff
cult problem.
Weather has a lot to do with the
attitudes Of school children. When
snow is threatening Or falling, the
class is restless, excitable and hard
to hold. It is wise to take up no new
work, but to have interesting read
ing, spelling matches, bright reviews
on such days. When thunderstorms
are threatening. the children are likely
to be heavy In mind and body. 1t is
. good time to review the songs they
know, and the poems they have
learned. But make no mention Of
the coming storm. It should be your
intention to draw their minds from 1t.
Children coming down with illness
are irritable. Give such children Q
rest In bed. Sometimes . couple Of
hours In bed wards Of . cold. or .
minor ailmert that Is caused by
fatigue. Fatigue Is the worst enemy
Of health. Guard the children against
it. deal wisely with them when It
threatens, and many Of the problems
that trouble home and school will
cease from troubling.
Ncopyright. 1850