Evening star., 1938-03-24
Parents Are
Too Ready
To Advise
Children Should Be
Allowed to Plan
Own Activities.
BY ANGELO PATRI.
RILLY, stop that! You'll drive me


"R1LLY, stop that! You'll drive me
crazy with that drumming"
What are you doing with that
water running like that? Stop it."
Now you stop that. young man.
Find something else to do beside
annoying the cat"
Very well. Stop signals are neces-
sary, but what about the go? If you
say stop and forget to say 90 there
is space where nothing Is doing,
and in that space the devil lives. So
I've been told, and my experience
says that children always find it So
When you say stop better be ready to
say 60, and say where and how.
Children who drum on the tables
and pans; who turn on faucets just
to watch the water run; who pull
the cats tail; hold their fingers on
electric bells. are at a loss for SOM
thing definite to do. They have moth
ing in mind. What they are doing is
not holding much OF their thought, If
any. When you say stop. they are
without even the comfort Of the ges-
ture they have been making. Give
them something to do instead Of say
ing stop. Say go rather than stop,
for children are active, never still.
Don't make the 60 a matter of
punishment. Slip in the idea OF doing
something else and make it an at
tractive notion If YOU can manage
to do 50.
Billy, I wonder If you could help
me tie this string on this box? I
seem to need another pair Of hands"
Billy Is proud to help. "Oh, Jane!
Would you bring me glass of water?
I'm thirstier than a mackerel." Jane
loves that. Taking the drink will
give you chance to think up some
thing else equally as attractive for
active youngsters.
Don't say stop If the thing the
child is doing is not interfering with
anybody else, although to you 1t seems
wasteful. useless idea. The thoughts
Of the little boy who sits idly, turning
over the leaves Of a book, may irritate
you, but he Is doing no harm. He
is communing with himself and he
needs to do that. The absorbed child
can usually be left to himself. 1t Is
the child whose occupation indicates
a vacant mind that needs the 60
signal.
Keep ahead of the children in plan
ming occupation. Be ready so that II
you are called upon for plans and
schemes you have some for delivery.
It is not quite wise to plan every
minute Of a child's holiday, or free
time Wait for some hint Of self
direction. If it Is not forthcoming
one might ask. What are you plan
ming to do Tuesday," Have you
anything on for Saturday." Just be
ready.
Remember that children have to
have friends their own age for COM
panionship. They may bother you
by sitting in a corner and just talk
ing, talking, talking. You itch to
give them something to do. Don't
yield to temptation. Let them talk 1t
out. That is the way young things
have Of finding their way about. They
have long conversation together and
in that way they clarity old ideas
and gain new ones. Be ready with
suggestions, but stay your hand until
the right moment arrives.
This coming season, when the out
doors Is 50 inviting, could the children
have a chance ct cooking in the open?
Cooking is fine occupation for va
cation days and usually it has the
lure Of adventure. It is one of the
fine 60 signals. So Is hiking, SWIM
ming, gardening. dramatics, charity
shows. For the little ones, plays,
sand, water, cutting. modelling, swing
ing, listening to stories, playing house.
| (Copyright, 1038.)