Evening star., 1938-08-29

The Fighting
Courage in
Children
A Timid Youngster
Needs Help From
Others His Age.
By ANGELO PATRI.

ny hiNoLAo n NJ.
A GROUP of 5-year-old boys and
girls were playing on the walk
In front OF the apartment house where
they lived. They were rough enough
with each other, showing and push
ing and always shouting. One little
boy, quite as big as the others, was
quickly showed aside, out Of things,
until in the general scrimmage it was
convenient to shove him about as a
shield or a buffer. Then he would
vail, MA ma and stand where he
had been left, ready to be showed next
time.
His mother, looking out of the WIN
dow, called down, David, what are you
crying for?"
Able hit me-"
II did not" screamed Able, madly
rushing after another boy, screaming
shouting. happy go-lucky.
Able. you ought to be ashamed.
Can't you play nicely with David? Go
on now, David, and play nicely"
This conversation was shouted up
and down repeatedly that morning un-
til Able, out of breath, or patience,
picked up stick. thrust it into Da-
rids hands and said. Here, you II
you can't put up your dukes take a
stick. Sock us if you can. Go on in
there" And he sent David stick and
all, headlong into the huddle.
There was concerted yell and
David went after them, valiantly WELD
ing his stick Great fun. Round and
round they went. never noticing that
David and his stick was now leading
the race, now tagging it, such fun
1t was to be chased
Lend me the stick now, David,
and you run, too" said Able. And
so it was done. Next time mother
looked out she saw David playing
nicely" with the crowd, Able on his
heels brandishing a stick and yelling,
charge! Charge!" at the top of his
lungs Everybody else was yelling,
"Charge!" David's voice was above
them all After that he was accepted
He could yell, run and talk back with
the best
Getting a faint-hearted child into
the rough and ready play Of the s.
year-old ones is not always as easy as
that. Usually such child has been
frightened, and the fact that he was
frightened by other children's rough
ness might lead us to suspect that he
hadn't the strength to hold his own
In the first place. 1t is always best
to have children's specialist look
such a child over carefully to deter
mine, If possible. what causes his
timidity.
After that try to tie him up with a
bold friend like Able. Or get him into
nursery school group or kindergarten
where other children will take him
into the group and start him working.
Another child Is always better leader
for timid child than any adult,
however we'll intentioned.
The apparent roughness OF the play
OF little children need not alarm any,
body. They are noisy: they Jump
about and yell without apparent cause:
mill about with no apparent purpose
in mind. But that is their way of
getting To know each other, to learn
to play together. II possible, let them
manage among themselves without
help. They often do better without us.
Mr.. Patri has prepared leaflet
entitled Baby Carriages" in which
he tells parents how to make the
carriage ride a happy, profitable
experience. Send for it, addressing
your request to Mr.. Angelo Patn,
Child Psychology Department of
this paper Inclose q self-ad-
dressed, stamped (3-centl envelope.
tCopyrieht 1q3S)