Evening star., 1938-08-22
and Grab Apples Make Some of the Finest
Not
Inferior to
Grown>Ups
Intelligent Ones
Will Rebel at
Domination.
BY ANGELO PATRI.
"CLARA, 60 set the table"
~ "Yes mother"

"CLARA. go set the table"
Yes. mother"
A few minutes. perhaps three, went
by and Clara continued to tie knots
in the bit of netting she was making
for her sewing class next day.
Clara" shouted her mother. "You
heard what I said? When I speak
to you move instantly. Don't you wait
a second once speak or you'll get
something you'll remember"
II was going to set the table just
as soon as tied those knots"
20, you were? Let me tell you
that when I speak I intend to be
obeyed. I don't intend to wait un-
til you are ready to obey. Obey in
stantly. And for waiting until you
were ready you don't 60 out this even
ing"
Clara began to cry. And no cry
ing. You brought it on yourself. All
these years I've been teaching you
to mind. But you mind when you're
ready. Not in this house, young lady"
Clara set the table, trying hard
to keep from crying. She ate little
Of the food on her plate. Whats
the matter with Clara?" father asked.
20, she's sulking because I said
she couldn't go out tonight to the
movies with you. She's going no.
where until she learns to mind
Il did mind" sobbed Clara.
when you got ready After din
ner you go to bed I'm just sick and
tired seeing you crying and sulking
about the place The sooner you make
up your mind that I'm in authority
over you the better it will be for you"
Too bad Children who have reached
the age of intelligent Self-direction,
able to set the table, are too intelli-
gent to accept domination without re-
belling. The only people, and that
includes children, who obey without
thought, or hesitation, are those with
out intelligence. All intelligent obe-
dience Is directed by a thoughtful
mind.
In teaching little children to obey
one tells them what is TO be done,
then waits for their minds to inter-
pret the order, their bodies to get
under control, and the action to be
performed. That takes time. When
a child is old enough to be helpful
about the house he and she is old
enough to understand cooperation.
The time for commands and threats
Is certainly not at this stage of their
No h,1+ h
suits
Children are people. They have
the same feelings, their reactions to
people and their attitudes toward
them are those of the older people.
They are quicker to feel affronts, more
sensitive. They have not experience
enough to discount personal charac-
teristics and manners of others. They
take them as they are and if they
are crude and harsh, they suffer.
The best relationship that can be
established between children and their
parents, and their teachers, is that
of mutual respect and cooperation.
Children are not inferior to grown
people. They are different, but they
are quite as important, quite as worth
while in every way as their elders.
They need teaching, leadership, friend
ship, far more than they need domi-
nation. They will not accept domina-
ton because it affrontS their
intelligence, so We will save time if
we ask for cooperation and forget
about the power and the glory of the
boss.
Mr.. Patri has prepared a leaflet
entitled, The Shy Child" in which
he tells parents how to help children
overcome shyness and fear. Send
for it, addressing your request to Mr..
Angelo Patri, Child Psychology De-
partment of this paper Inclose a
self-addressed, stamped (3-cen) en-
velope.
Copyright. 1881