Evening star., 1939-06-07
Self>Helpful
Youngster
Far
When Training Him
Don't Make Life
Too Difficult
By ANGELO PATRI.

Help from outside oneself is ONLY
a temporary lift. The emergency
over, one is exactly where he was be-
fore, If not bit behind. The help
one gets from another does not
strengthen and it is likely to weaken
the body and spirit of the one who
| accepts. Leaners, clinging vines, de-
pendents of whatever kind or grade,
are weak sisters and brothers and
must remain so until they are able
to pull their own weight. one way
or another, in the lifeboat.
The time to teach people to help
themselves to be self f-sufficient is in
early infancy Begin with the baby
and promise him and yourself that
as long as you both shall live YOU
will do nothing for him that he can
do for himself.
Tie the baby's ball to his carriage
or his crib and teach him to pull it
back to himself when he tosses it
over the side. If you let him throw
it for you to chase he will love the
game and keep you at it, if not by
fair means, by foul, yelling and
kicking until you give in and fetch
for him again.
That is a fair sample of what
happens when one does for children
what they can be trained to do for
| themselves. When a child falls as
he struggles to learn to walk one
longs to run to him, pick him up,
dust him off and comfort him with
croonlngs and soft love-murmurings
II one does it is so much the worse
for the child. He learns to lie down
comfortably when he stumbles and
walt for help which is certain to
come. That lesson feeds his spirit
with feebleness, fear and failure.
1t is inevitable that children fall
as they struggle toward their growth.
They will make few efforts that do
not meet with failure at the start.
A child will need advice, encourage
ment, sometimes even a lift, but
beware of taking over his job and
doing 1t for him. You cannot give
him strength, nor courage, nor any
thing that will stay with him perma-
nently. You can stimulate him to
growth and spiritual power if you
will and thereby put him everlast-
ingly in your debt, and you will rear
a man Cor a woman worthy the
name.
There is no sense in making life
difficult for children while we train
them to help themselves to grow
and to function as people. The
washrag the small child uses can
be sized up to his measure; so can
his cake of soap. The pail the little
girl uses to scrub her dolls kitchen
can be of papier- light and
efficient. The tools children use, the
furniture as we'll as the family ex-
periences can, and should be, ad-
justed to the child's needs. But after
that he ought to be given a chance
to do for himself
Fond parents and relatives enjoy
doing for children, enjoy providing
pleasure for them, smoothing their
way. Some of this is justified and
necessary, for children must know
that they are loved and wanted, but
there is limit beyond which 1t is
dangerous to go. Keep the child S
tasks sacred to himself and so al
low his growth to proceed with speed
and sureness.
Don't be afraid to let children
work. They have great energy, wells
of power, waiting to be released fol-
purposes of growth. Encourage them
to try new experiences. to carry out
the idea they cherish, and keep
hands of while they struggle
through. Then be loud and lavish
with your praise. A self-helpful
child is the crown of successful par
enthood.