Evening star., 1937-08-09
People Should Pay More Attention Nutve Value
Nurse Maid
For Your
Children
One Who Has Raised
Youngsters of Her
Own Is the Best.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

T HAD to have somebody to look
after the children. She's rather
nice person, healthy, and seems to like
the children. do hope they get along
with her, for I'm about at my wits
end what with mother sick and the
business what it is and the housework,
Somebody's got to look after the
children"
Yes. but who is this somebody?
What are her qualifications for look
Ing after the children beside her
health and her general good-natured
appearance? The nurse maid is a
substitute for the mother. A mother
is very influential teacher, and she
carries other Weighty responsibilities
associated with the children. To what
extent will the nurse maid take the
mothers place? And how able is she
to do so?
I can understand that degree in
education might be handicap to
good nursing of infants and children.
1t is mothering they need, and that
means motherly Intelligence, motherly
affection. motherly understanding of
the WITNESSES of childhood as we'll as
of its more practical needs. The
temperament and character OF the
nurse maid is as important as her
educational equipment.
A nurse maid ought to have clean
bill Of healtl 9th mental and phys-
cal She ought to like children. She
needs to understand the signals that
little children show to their elders
when language fails them, a very
common situation. A mother knows
at glance when a child is on the
verge Of a tantrum, rebellion, tears,
eye. tone Of voice will reach her
ear and warn her of illness, fatigue,
oyerstrain. A nurse maid needs to
have just such an ear. A mother
lo'lii1biNNiJ kucSoNo eiioS a Niiiia
wants food, or rest, or companionship,
or complete letting alone. A good
nurse maid needs to cultivate that
instinct.
When children are intrusted to a
maid the mother needs to have good
ground for the faith that she has in
the maids loyalty to the child. That
means that she will not put her own
feelings foremost, but consider the
welfare of her charges before her own.
Children need to play with as much
freedom as space will allow. This
need is fundamental to the healthy
growth Of children, and unless the
nurse understands and provides for
II generously the children will suffer.
Nurse maids have to understand how
to stimulate child to play; how to
Amuse and rest a tired child; how to
forestall fatigue brought on by too
much or too abandoned play. All this
means drain on the nurse maids
energy, but II she is Loyalty devoted
to her children, she will be able to
endure.
Every young girl in need of work is
not flt nurse maid Some are and
many are not. More thought should
be given to the qualifications Of the
person to whom this great trust is
given. She is a person entitled to
respect. consideration. affection. She
Is one to whom the family can look for
loyal, selfless service, one that no
amount of money can ever pay, but to
whom the highest possible amount
should be paid.
One who has reared a few children
Of her own. on whose face are set the
lines of care and tenderness, on whose
head there are few grains of times
dusty silver, promises well.
Mr.. Patri will give personal atten
tion to inquiries from parents and
school teachers on the care and de-
velopment of children. Write him in
care OF this paper, inclosing Scent
stamped, self-addressed envelope for
reply.
(Copyrisht. 1879