Evening star., 1936-09-05
Parents Are
Child's Real
Teachers
What They Impress
Upon Youngsters
Has Great Effect.
BY ANGELO PATRI.


pARENTS are teachers by right Of
birth. BY the law of birth might
be a truer way of stating the fact.
Fathers and mothers cannot get away
from their teaching duty as long as
they are fathers and mothers, because
children look to them for example and
guidance and instruction before look
ing to any one else.
This teaching begins when the child
is born. The way the child Is touched
the feel of his mothers hands, the
different touch that is in his fathers
hands, are set in his memory: and in
all time to come that memory will af-
'ect the child's use of his own hands.
They will be firm and strong and sure,
or uncertain and jerky and impatient,
in accordance with his experiences
and his inheritance. AS he Is likely to
inherit his manner of using his hands
from his parents he is doubly likely to
use his hands as they use theirs. Hands
are very important in the life of a
child. 1t is with them he feels his way,
works his way, fights his way. Upon
their power and ability much of his
success depends. Hands express in
telligence or the lack of 1t in no un-
certain terms.
1t is from his parents that a child
learns his moral code. If they try to
teach him sincerity while they smile at
their own teaching. they teach the
smile. not the sincerity. If they teach
him kindness while they show kind
ness to him and to all who come their
way, he learns it and it is stored in his
body and bones. While the child can
not put his knowledge into words he
knows what he knows and behaves
accordingly. Much of the teaching
that takes hold on little children is the
silent teaching of practice and exam
pie. What father and mother do the
children are.
Parents teach children manners, not
in words. but in practice. If loud tones
and careless speech are the usual prac-
tice in the home the children follow it
to the last tone, the last warped word
and syllable. If there is high stand
ard Of manners throughout. then the
children will reflect it beyond doubt.
They will practice the same gentle
courtesy that has been practiced upon
them. They will observe the same fine
consideration that has been shown
them. What their parents have taught
them in daily living they express as
freely as they breathe. Parents are
the first and most effective teachers
children have.
Many times have heard the public
schools blamed for the lack of good
manners, the lack of good morals, for
the lack of society in general, but
those who complain loudest are more
closely associated with these failures
than the teachers and the schools can
ever be. They are the fathers and the
mothers who have not taught good
manners, good morals, fine aspirations
of the soul by practice in their homes
The children are the direct products of
the home. The better the home the
finer the children.
A school, no matter what kind it is.
can add nothing to a child. 1t de-
velops what the child brings to 1t. It
does wonders with children who have
had little or no training in the funda-
mentals of living. 1t would do more If
the first and most important teachers
the parents-did their work better.
What father says is the law to the
child. What mother does is the ark
and the covenant, above the law.