Evening star., 1938-06-20
The ne Ice in Tall Glasses Is Music the Hot Afternoon
The Arrival
Of a New
Infant
Don't Make anOlder
Child Give What
Is His to Baby.
BY ANGELO PATRT.

WHEN the baby is on the way pre-
pare the rest of the children for
Its coming. Arouse their love and
sympathy so that when the baby
comes they have no feeling of jeal-
olsy but an affectionate willingness
to serve him.
After the baby arrives try to give
the other children, as far as possible.
the same care and consideration they
had from you before. BY doing that
they will not feel they are out of the
picture. And since the baby will take
up much of your time it is wise to
let the other children stand by and
share in the care of the baby. 1 have
seen little girl of stand by her
mothers elbow at bathing time and
hold the soap dish and be quite con-
tent. She was sharing in the care
of the baby, and that made her feel
useful and wanted and important
Watch your speech. Say nothing
that might make the other children
feel sighted. No one should say, so
Lizzie. your nose is out of joint since
the new baby came. eh?" Such words
are poisonous. They do infinite harm.
Don't make an older child give
what is his to the baby. The baby will
soon reach for everything in sight.
That is to be expected. But he is
not to have everything he reaches
for. He cannot have his little sis
ter's picture book nor her doll He can
not have his brothers Noahs Ark nor
his crayon box
Instead of teaching the older chill
dren to give up their things because
he is the baby" teach them to avoid
giving the baby what he is not to
have but to give him something else
that's attractive in its place. A
babys attention is fleeting. 1t is quick
asks for the crayons give him a rattle.
If you do this there will be peace.
The children will accept the baby
and like him.
1t is important that the older chill
dren are not forced to give up their
free time to play with the baby. There
are exceptions. OF course, but the old
er children have rights. Infants up
to 3 months or so need no compan-
ionship save what their mothers sup
ply They need quiet and sleep and
food and care. When they begin to
clutch and to crawl, to stand up
and to run about and to need play
mates let them have them. but the
playmates should be of their own
kind. their own age. their own stage
of development. The older children
should not be made slaves to baby
brother.
When the tiny tots shout and cry
at each other instead of playing the
game don't interfere. That is their
way. They will shove and push each
other about Let them. When your
little one comes to you bowling loud
ly. He hit me-" look at him calmly
and say. That's too bad" Nothing
more. Don't feel that you have to
come to the rescue. Let him save
himself, and he will do a better job
of it.
Be sure to make friends with the
neighbors SO that you may under
stand and help each other Take
turns in supervising the play of the
little ones. Living is a matter of CO.
operation with others. Practice it
yourself, and the little ones will have
friends when they need them.
Mr.. Patri has prepared a leafet
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 Patri. Child Psychology
Department Of this paper. Inclose
self addressed, stamped (3-cent)
envelope.