Evening star., 1937-02-27
Being Good
Can Be Made
Much Easier
Com pliance With
Rules and Regula-
tions Not Difficult.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

WE WHO have to do with children
ought to try to make good
ness-that is, compliance with rules
and regulations of all sorts-easy as
possible. There is nonsense in making
it any harder. If being good were
easy we never would have had to have
the Ten Commandments. Life makes
enough difficulty as it moves along
it's destined way, and as long as we
are on the side of Righteousness We
ought to help its cause along.
We are strict about truth telling.
Are we careful to make it as easy as
possible. or do We make it very hard
by adding fear to the burden of a
troubled conscience? Our own fear
of falsehood makes us appear stern
and hard and threatening to the err
ring child We help falsehood by our
wrong attitude. We make telling
truth hard for faltering child.
We are very decided about the sin
of stealing, making even the lowly pin
a point of departure. Are we careful
to teach respect for property Of others
by beginning with our own respect for
the property OF the children, or do We
blithely ignore their ownership and
help ourselves to their things without
as much as a look in their direction?
Are we careful with money, with all
the little odds and ends that children
like, showing our care by keeping
track of them and by keeping
them always where they belong? Or
do We leave things about carelessly.
behaving as though they did not really
matter much anyway? Carelessness
breeds careleSSneSs. Our standards
become the children's standards. Make
honesty easier by setting the stage
for it, and for the prevention of dis
honesty.
Then there are the little habits that
we stress so much. Keep your hands
clean. When they are dirty you are
likely to carry the dirt to your nose
and mouth and infect yourself. Wash
your hands" That is good talk. but
how easy is 1t for a child to keep
his hands clean, say in school? Can
he find washbasin and warm water
and soap and a towel? If he can he
Is In a rare school whose administra-
tors should be praised on high. Even
at home how easy is it for the children
to keep clean hands? Are they al
lowed in the bath room after they
have been cleaned for the morning?
Or are they told to stay out of there
with their dirt and mess? Are the
towels provided for grimy hands, or
are they finely laundered ones that
have to be counted? Children can Use
paper towels if they have them.
A wash basin in the garage, or hid
den on a porch. or snuggled some
where on the first floor. provided with
warm water, soap and paper towels
will tempt children to be clean. It
will keep the dirt and mess that good
housekeepers deplore out Of the main
bath rooms. And the children, as soon
as they are old enough, can take turns
in keeping it clean week by week.
We can help our aims forward by
providing and preparing for them.
Prevention is far better method than
cure and much easier. We are busy
and give no thought to such things
until the children get into trouble.
Then we scold and fume and fret and
ask why they did such thing, or
didn't do the other thing.
The solution Is clear. Make good
ness easier and we will have more of
it. Put the emphasis upon prevention
and we will have less to cure.