The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-03
Latest Styles
.PARENTs---
 Your Children
By Olive Roberts Barton


 London-It seems to me that children would go to their parents with more things if these same daddies and mamas wouldn't get so shocked about things.
 Actually we aren't shocked at all. What happens is that our van- ity is hurt, to think that child of OURS could do such Q thing. We aren't shocked when Johnny Jones does 1t, or Mary Smith, but when our own family representa- tives go over the wire, why that's terrible.
 Rather than face the sighs and gasps of his mother, or the stern stare of his father, Ted will neg lect many @ confession that he would like to get off his mind. Ted is impulsive. And he is experi-, mental. He is also very human. But he has to keep all his little forays into temptation to himself. He is 50 certain that he will be judged before he is heard that he will tell anyone other than his parents.
 Judicial Calm
 One of the things that fasci- mates me in the movies is Q court scene. watch the face of the judge carefully to sec if THAT testimony won't shock him into start or Q frown, or perhaps even a smile. No, never yet have ! caught one mapping, but I still have hopes. Of course, you say that 1t is all set up and this Is not real case. Wrong. Judges are that way. They must maintain the poker face in spite of every thing. Some have sympathetic faces, some indifferent, some hard, but that is apart from the control they must exercise at a hearing. 4
 I have the notion that the same idea in the home is not c bad one. The child will blurt out his {, condolences if he knows he will be spared the emotional demon strations. He will be willing to take his medicine, too, if the tears and blow-outs are omitted.
 I admire the calm parent who can listen to the end, and then advise, or weigh out justice as im- personally as 8 magistrate. It can never amount to that quite, not with close family relation ships what they are. But an ap- proach could be attempted. Once the boy or girl knows that he is being judged impartially, either excused, condoned, reprimanded or punished as the case may war rant, he will be more willing to take what comes. Children know very well when they deserve to be disciplined.
 Shirking Parents
 And here is another thing Mothers in particular have a ha- bit of NOT WANTING TO KNOW when Q child has been up to sor1e- thing. It seems that they just can't bear to hear 1t. And the child soon senses 1t and acts acc cordingly.
 Don't let my mother know" Why should his mother not know Is she 50 frail that she cannot en- dure knowing thuJ pntoyToB IT dure knowing that the boy or girl of her heart has gotten tangled in one of life's million experiences2 When they are grown she is not surprised that they arc sophisti- cated and worldwide. She even approves of it. But they must be sure to get all this knowledge without her knowing 1t. Maybe she resents 1t later, they keep her in the dark about everything they do.
 We'll, I don't sec how anything short of & miracle could make il otherwise. Usually the infractions of the growing child are not 50 unbcarable. One great incentive to misconduct is the stolen fruit motive. Perhaps pranks would not be 50 sweet if the child knew that dad and mother could b told.
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