The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-01-07
WOMAN,S REALM :
Your
Children
By Olive Roberts Barton

my lands, win Peter never get
down here for breakfast"
Peter would be q good one TO
send for trouble. He'd never
bring 1t. It's an hour since I started
him on for that bread
"Peter, Peter, get going. You have
been out there at that pavement
for hours. And not half finished
yet. Slow poke. That's what you
are"
Yes, poor Peter puts his wife
In pumpkin while he loafs around
with Simple Simon and lies down
with Boy Blue for q snooze. In
short Pete is a waster Of time, q
shirker Of responsibility and side
tracker Of work. Peter Is q grow
ing boy. He takes things easy, very,
very easy.
What are we going to do with
him?
II he is six, we are going to
allow for his keen interest in
every thing about him, easily d.
verted attention and certain
fumbling of fingers. He will only
concentrate on one thing for a
very few minutes and then lose
interest. Unless, that Is, he is
doing something engrossing to his
particular leanings, and then he
can fix interest much longer.
Turns Outside Home .
If he is nine, then we must
make allowance for people. Boys
who come along and yell, Hi,
Pete. Come on out" He is OBJ
sessed at this time with being
with folks outside his home. He
will go to sweep Mrs. Smiths
sidewalk in a 1iffy, while his own
lies neglected.
Pete, at fourteen, Is so mixed
up on everything that his Is COM
pletely unpredictable. He eats
all the time. Lies about reading.
Takes sudden notions. Industri-
GUS one day and as lazy as the
dickens the next. Likes girls.
Hates 'em. Wants long pants and
bushes easily. Brags a lot to keep
up his courage. Is silent in spells.
Has nasty temper. His mother
feels that she is losing him. He
likes music and reads all the
sports columns. Goes to games
until both teachers and parents
are almost in despair. Has heroes.
Won't work. Bangs about. Is fixy
and sloppy by turns, and argues
every point.
Slow? No, Just neglectful. When
once he tackles a Job, he goes
through with it like one possessed,
but 1t is only half done.
Completing the Cycle
Peter at twenty-five will be
like anybody else. Either a hust-
Ter or a snail or the usual in-be-
tween. At thirty he will be call
ing Pete, Jr., down for taking an
hour to bring him the paper. The
complete cycle.
Boys are slow when they are
growing. And usually slow when
they are little, too. The quick one
Is only to prove the rule.
They are more susceptible to
praise than girls, can be easily
bribed by the "do-it-for- stuff,
but this Is bad. They are ashamed
Of being goody-goody and often
shirk deliberately In order to Inn
press themselves and others. They
need mans example and q mans
hand. Not for punishment, but to
emulate. They must respect and
admire the man. II a father is lazy
and lax, and wanting in qualities OF
respect, they will either emulate
him, or 60 to the other extreme of
trying to be different.
They will learn the hurry" habit,
not through doing unpleasant
duties, but through interest, and II
may carry itself into cher realms
Men seldom hurry. Women, being
more impatient, do. Peter is Peter
We must try to understand him.
Copyright, 1887, EA Service, Inc.)