The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-05-15
Household Hints :
nm TABLE- Food Suggestions
By Mrs. Mary E. Dagus

How long should a mother hold the hands of her children when crossing the streets of lifes experi- ences2 Will they do better if left to themselves much of the time, or under her perpetual protection2
 This problem worries friend of mine who is trying to make her boy and girl depend on them selves. She adds in her letter that certain neighbOr makes her nervous because she calls out admonitions every few minutes to her own youngsters.
 Either extreme is less satisfac- tory than a safe middle course, because the one who adopts the first method entirely may dlgcov- CT how Venturesome children can be on sudden impulse. On the other hand, she who forces her authority into play too persistent ly Is building nothing for the fu- ture. Children not only get weary and inattentIye but cease to think for themselves.
 WhFJl nub DVBI NAb
 The street scene is typical of the child's whole existence. If mother calls. out to Lucy to pull up her socks every few minutes or for Luke to blow his nose. 1t isn't likely that she will stop mem tioning small lapses after that stage is past There will always be something.
 On the other hand, she is right to remind them not to go too near to the curb. It gets to be irrltat- ing to children, however, when any warning is dinned in their ears. A quiet glance to satisfy herself that all is well will do the work much of the time.
 If children have been condi- toned to dangers and general be- havior and know what they must avoid, q reminder when they go out should answer. But their at- tention should be right on the matter in question and the mother should be sure. If the risk is too great, then the children are too young or the playground wrong.
 Acquire Judgment
 Age has everything to do with 1t. We know that child of two can understand very little about warn ings. At five, he may understand certain things but not others. At seven or eight when he is able to zee reasons he iS far more likely to be careful because he adds Judgment to orders.
 But all children are experimental at any age. And of course, the mother seldom knows exactly what they will do next.
 This is where the trouble lies. Her protective instinct, removed from mere nervousness, urges her presence. She knows what ter- rible teacher experience can be. Yet the child won't learn self defense thoroughly until n few bumps and bruises come along to teach him. The caution that de- Vclops by words from his mother may be n pseudo affair unrelated to real life. This is not caution at all, but inhibition. And life goes pretty flat If one grows up on q little island SO surrounded.
 Let Character Grow
 Small children should have some older person near If possi- blc. Those a little older may be trusted in safe place. And Bo on up the line. Physical protec- ton is Wisc, but at the same time they should be learning wisdom on their own. Too much inter ference is n weakening process. Character development iB pretty much the same. The young per son too inBiBtcntly supervised in- stead of acting and thinking for himself iS slow to mature, and in- deed many people stay babies forever.