Milford chronicle., 1939-05-12
THE PIONEERING OF THE CHILD
by Edith Brands

~ III ahuAo
Little Justine Williams brought
the picture she had just clipped from
magazine to her mother. i've
spoiled 1t, Mother" she said and be-
gan to cry.
mo. darling, no." and Mrs. Will
liams tried to show the child how
to reshape the edge so that 1t might
still be attractive. but Justine refus-
ed to be comforted.
For months Mrs. Williams had
been taking a few moments every
day to teach the child the use OF
crayOlas, scissors, kindergarten nee
dies and other small tools Recently
Justine was beginning to have cry
ing spells wien her willing little
fingers blundered and she felt that
her work was spoiled Mrs. Will
liams was much distressed: she
didn't know what was wrong nor
what to do about it.
Later In the week she took JUS
tine and went down the road to the
home of Mrs. Sayers.
Mrs. Sayers listened to the story.
while her two children and their lit
tie caller played In the back yard,
then she remarked, Il had the same
difficulty with my first child. Then l
consulted a friend who knew a great
deal about the development of little
children. followed her advice and
as a result my boy outgrew the trou-
BILE, though it took him some time.
"She told me that throughout ear
ly childhood certain changes are 60
ing on in the child's nervous sys-
tenn: this. she said, is an orderly
process, which cannot be hurried, no
matter how much we might wish.
The things a child does that are out
enough so that we note them
are really the climax of long SER
les Of developments. both OF the
and the nervous system.
Every mother knows how abruptly
the process of standing alone comes
to some children. One day the child
cannot stand, the next day he has
pulled himself UP by a chair, and
perhaps within a week he's going
all over his small world under his
own steam. IL seems sudden, but in
reality he's been getting ready for
this act since the day he was born.
"She told me I'd been trying to
'orce a process in my child's devel- !
1pment which | should have left for
fme to bring about, and said that his !
could probably be trac- T
d to my attempt to urge him to use
ools before his muscles were ready.
els it too late to correct my mis-
AXE? | asked her. Is there any way
can undo the wrong I've spent so
much time doing%
Its not too late, and there's a
yay TO undo most of 1t not all OF It,,
he answered.
Then she explained to me that
very normal child may be expected
o develop his own interests and
bilities If he is exposed to the nor
nal activities of the home and
uided as he indicates his readiness
or new experiences. l was now 10
axe all mental pressure from my
hild. / was to keep the tools ia
cen trying to teach him to handle
wing about and he was to see them
sed, but he was to be let strictly
lone.
II did as she advised.
81 had my reward after rather
ing period of waiting and watching
hen Robert brought me a flower
ne day and said. Mother. it's so
retty. | love 1t. I'll make its pic D.,
RE- He took crayolas and a sheet ,
paper and did sketch which we
Inned to the bulletin board. Here
as a complete activity. begun In hts
iildish mind when he was alone IN
e garden, eliminating in related
4 of expression. It was beautiiui
Iample Of Towering. He'd done II
mself.
"With freedom Robert completely
,tgrew his nervousness. You may
,lieye | didn't put mental or YER J
il pressure on my other children
they came along"