The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-04-27
CHILDREN NEED
HELP
GEORGIA LOTT SETTER

"Oh, why need children be quite so
needless and disobedent 2" sighed
Mary Lance wearily.
81 wonder if they really are" an
swered her neighbor, Mrs. Jaynes COM
fortably. "They behave as they do
because they are children. They usual
ly act on impulse, without any thought
either of being obedient or disobedient.
You must expect such conduct until
they begin to acquire the knowledge
that experience brings.
81 am convinced that children need
real help in remembering much more
frequently than they need punishment.
This belief is based partly on my own
never-to beforgotten childish expert
ence with detested red apron. My
aunt, with whom | lived, made me a
big red apron from one of her old
house dresses and said: Lucy, you are
to put this apron on over your school
dress each morning until your work
IS DONE | had no objection to that, but
several times each week | rushed heed
lessly away to school, Haunting the
aprons faded ugliness for all to see.
My aunt always sent message by an
older girl who was our neighbor, re-
minding me to remove the apron. And
no reproof was ever considered COM
plete until these episodes of the red
apron were held up to me as evidence
of my disobedience.
'1've never forgotten the unhappi-
ness and embarrassment they incurred.
Yet how easily my aunt might have
prevented them. She could have said,
Always come to me before you start
to school to be sure you look NICE
Or, Always kiss me goodbye, Lucy
Ny love-hungry little heart would
never have allowed me to forget to do
that, you may be sure. And there
would have been no hurting apron epi-
sode."
''But Henry's case is different" said
Mrs Lance. "He is boy and should
learn to take responsibility. Yet he
never remembers his shoes or his err
rands."
'He just needs the help of little
reminder" insisted Mrs. Jaynes. "Sup-
pose you mention it casually before
his father each time he does his work
well and without being reminded?
Even we older folks find that appreci-
alton lightens labor
"Try to make work pleasant. Never
use it as punishment.
LET work lead naturally to suit
able rewards. If Henry helps you with
the dishes and tides the house, it
would be quite evident that you would
have more time. Perhaps you could
both go to the movies or for a ride.
When he has learned to prepare food
he can have picnics and parties. If
he keeps his room in order, let him
know how restful you find it when you
go in to spend few moments with
him. If he takes good care of his
clothes, brushing them and hanging
them up neatly, he would be happy
indeed if Mother should buy for Father
and him two articles just alike.
"lf Henry is apt to forget his duties,
do not credit it to disobedience but
study how you may make it interest
ing and profitable for him to remem-
Der. Children dread to work alone, so
make his duties, so far as you reason
ably can, something that you can
share. Do not expect results beyond
the ability Of his years. Praise him
when he does we'll Reward him in
natural and sensible way. Help him
remember for he honestly needs your
help.
"And presently you will have the
satisfaction of seeing that ne has ac-
quired the habit of reliability and ac-
cepts work as a pleasant and neces7
sary part of normal living"
FUN AT IT'S BEST-RICNIC-