The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-01-27
Household Hints F
Your Children
By Olive Roberts Barton


 On one side of Mary lived Joan, on the other, Annabelle. All were approximately the same age but erl- tirely different in temperament.
 Annabelle was gentle and very babyish for her five years. Joan was mentally and characteristically older Mary was in between and although not an inferior" she had Q way of putting her own wishes and personality behind that of her playmate. Not playmates, because Joan did not like Annabelle and wouldn't play with her. Mary play ed with both, but not at the same time.
 Mary's mother preferred the more forceful child. She thought 1t was better for her child to ab- sorb Q bit of Joan's force. Be- sides, Joan was smart and Mary learned from her. On the other hand, when there had been ses- sion of Annabelle, Mary, chameleon like, became infantile and foolish. It was so apparent that her father scolded.
 "stop that lisping and baby talk" he ordered. You are to blame, Laura," he said to his wife. "You let her play with that little imbecile next door too much. It's adding her brains."
 Mary Become Unruly
 As a result there was 0 bigger dose of Joan. Annabelle was more and more out of the picture and finally not in 1t at all. Then one day Mary's mother became aware of the fact that her child was not as good as she had been. Every few minutes there was friction about something. Never had she seen her 50 contrary. The simpl. est command met with almost inc stant rebellion where before Mary had been the most tractable child imaginable. Moreover she would not eat as she should and by night- fall was too nervous to sleep.
 It puzzled her mother because Joan was an obedient child in her way and contrariness seldom showed itself. Maybe 1t was not Joan at all but just some of those things developing in Mary herself that might be accounted for by the evolution of character.
 But one day she happened to be sewing in the next room and had opportunity to follow little drama. What Mary did, 1t seem- ed, was always wrong. What she | suggested in the way of new amusement was instantly voted | down. When she wanted to stop Joan insisted that she was selfish: in fact, this was the stick the | other child chose to wield. Any | idea that crossed her own quick ly met with this verdict of selhsh- ness. Occasionally she said "baby- ish."
 Cowed by Playmate
 Then many things recurred to this mother. She saw complete picture of the past few months and she realized that Mary's trouble was thwarted will, which can happen through playmates as well as parents. Mary was un- happy. Joan had cowed her. brow beaten her and at the same time shamed her. All in way that few would notice but quietly and consistently in the way known only l to entirely Self-centered children. |
 When Mary had played with | Annabelle she had been happy. | Except for Q few unimportant | traits their dispositions were more evenly matched and each per- mitted the other her rights. Now 1t was Joan who was excommuni- cated for Q while. Gradually | Mary reached to the change. Sat- isfied that she knew now where the trouble lay. Mary's mother ad- justed playtime so that the child | thereafter got teaspoonful of Joan to every tablespoon of An- nabelle. Thus must parents try | to balance the social life of chill dren.