Evening star., 1938-02-14
Child Wants
Friends His
Age
The Companionship
Very Necessary
To Youngster.
By ANGELO PATRI.

HERE goes that child again. I
have brought her back four times
today. The only way can see to keep
her in her own yard is to tie her up.
Lillian, come right back here"
Il want to 60 play with Tommy"
well, you can't play with Tommy.
You stay home, where you belong. and
If you cross the yard again today I'll
spank you"
Lillian crossed the yard again and
her mother spanked her. And soon
after that Lillian crossed the yard once
more and when her mother missed
her and called her she did not an
swer, but hid under Tommy's cellar
door.
Why not allow Lillian to play with
Tommy? Her mother said that she
didn't want the neighbors bothered
with her child. Tommy stayed at
home. You never got him in his
neighbor's yard. Why should Lillian
be gadabout?
Tommy had two brothers, older
than he, but not very much, who went
to school and returned every day for
play. Tommy had sand pile, some
stones and boards, a wagon, a couple
Of old spoons, and the privilege of
turning on the faucet in the garage
when he wanted water. Lillian had no
brothers, nor sisters, no sand pile, no
fun. She had doll and a doll house,
and q carriage, and a tricycle., and
q few balls, but what she wanted was
Tommy and all that he stood for.
It is not possible to rear a child
without the association Of other chill
dren Of the same age. Grown people
will not answer. Nor will the loveliest
toys in the world make up for the lit
tie boys and girls who talk the same
language and do the same enhancing
things. They live in a child's world,
far away from ours, in which they are
strangers and aliens. To thrive and
develop they must stay for while in
their own world among their own peo-
pie, the little folk who live down street,
or next door.
Neighbors who have children the
same age will find it easier to arrange
for them to play together than tn try
to keep them apart. They ought to be
together. They learn from each other,
and In learning become what the nurs-
cry schoolteacher calls "socialized." {"
That is very important bit of learn
ing, q very essential bit. If children
learn early in their lives that the way
to get along with people is to share
with them; take turns, speak and be
silent in turns; play and wait to play,
In turns; help always, no matter
whose turn it is, they have taken q
great stride forward. They have
gained something that will help them
all their days.
Yes, they win learn some things you
would prefer they did not, but why
prefer It that way? They learn bad
words. There are no bad words, but
there are bad interpretations Of words,
which is = matter in your own hands.
How long can children go without
hearing the Objectionable words? Bet
ter hear them from their own group
and get over with 1t than to hear them
IN secret later on and hide it from
the family. Manners? Speech? Eth
les? Don't worry about that. The
children will take their patterns and
color from their home and family.
They stick in spite Of outside contacts.
A community group is not likely to
hold dangerous characters. The ex-
ception can always be handled. Let
the children get together, at their diff
ferent homes, and learn how to live
together.