The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-19
Your Children
By Olive RObsrts Barton

We hear 90 much of the term ''antlsBoclal," yet I often wonder e people know precisely what 70 means. When Q child is shy we call him antl-soclal. ff hO is incorrigi- ble, 10 Co the same. Indeed Anys thing that is unusual in the child is 90 indicted, and # he does not
 1t into Q pattern or won't conform to groups, he ls instantly dubbed As an anti-soclal child.
 But no ones takes the time Co explain what it means, or Co state that the underlying reasons for one of the above cases is the
 What does it mean Co be ante social, and to refuse Co adopt one- self to everyday life and be happy
 Now I am going to use . biz phrase, but it is not hard to uns derstand if we turn the words over Q couple of times in our minds. OOMpULsfON or PEO- PILE. That's it. Compulslon of people. Not particularly being ordered about by people, but just the pressure of everything and everyone about us that expects Us to act and fit into life In Q way they have chosen for us, and not In the free way we would select for ourselves.
 Hermit FIees From Pressure
 The hermit escapes to his cavO because he prefers it to having his life cut out for him by others. lie thinks that even community life ls too much of c strain. He iS ans ti.social.
 The boy or girl, man or woman who prefers to keep his own come pany to that of others, who reads constantly or stays alone as much as possible is anti-Bociai. Those who are III ct ease in the presenea of others are ct heart antl-social. because they suffer from the press sure of standard. It is essentially selfish, not as we know selfshness. but because thought Is wrapped ila ones central core and cannot be happy doing what others ordain.
 The incorrigible child Cor the lawsbllnd adult) is tho same por$ son. He also resonts subccnsciousa, ly the compulslon.o n.os-iiving in general. The difference is that he has strength to fight for what he calls his rights and he defles SOS ciety to keep him down. HO cans not be content with the pressure of organized law, or even the everyday rule of these near hln. He must Do sufficient unto him- self. And he gets into trouble.
 Routine Bets Respect for Law
 To be anti-social me0ns that we long for freedom from man, frees dom to express ourselves in tho way we wish. All of us arc af- fected more or leBS, dGpending on our inferiority or lack Of confl- dence. Most bad children are bnd because of defense mechanism, although other things enter into 1t too.
 From earliest childhood there- fore, two things arc necessary to accustom tho baby to people and their ways. One Is to let him see that people are to bc trusted. Tie other is to get him used to home law in the form of regular rou. tine. He should learn to stand the ways and reasonable compul. sions of the world. Then he won't 90 anti-social on us and be Q sad, or difficult problem later. once he sets his face away from people, and ell they represent, h0 can't turn back. It is Q problem, because humoring and coddling may 1lx his dislike of anything that interferes, or anyone who comes between him and his conn- fort. It is the hardest puzzle the parent has to deal with.
 Copyright, io30, NEA Service, Ines