Evening star., 1939-07-21
Experiences
Of Infancy
MoldLife
Attitude and Habit
Set During First
Three Years
BY ANGELO PATRI.

For the first three years, roughly
measuring, mothers have little trou-
bic with their children beyond what
the daily routine imposes. The child
eats and sleeps and plays as his
mother DEGREES. and there is no
question about obedience. The child
stays for the most part where he is
put. Because he does not resist or
show much positive evidence Of
his having will Of his own, mothers
take for granted that all is we'll
with the child. Sometimes 1t Is,
sometimes 1t is far from that.
Every experience with his mother,
or the other people about him, is
registered on the child's mind and
has its effect in the sum of his
thinking and the kind of his growth.
He catches the varied feelings and
attitudes of those who touch him.
The touch OF hand carries a true
message from the mind and heart
behind 1t to the child If that hand
is sure and gentle and charged with
loving kindness, that is the message
1t takes to the child's mind. Those
are the forces that affect the atti-
tudes and the health Of his mind,
and they will be good. If the words
he hears are good words. strong in
good cheer, encouragement, loving
guidance, he leans hard on them
and they nourish his mind and soul.
During the first years Of his help
less infancy he lies in his crib,
plays about on the floor. soaking in
these experiences and building up
his ideals and ideas in the silence of
his being. Growth goes on there
daily. Attitudes and habits are set
that remain for a lifetime. Powers
are stimulated into action which will
determine the child's future to a
large extent. All the time his mother
and relatives are looking upon him
as a baby to be fed and cared for
but not much Of a person in his
own right, not one to be regarded
with courtesy, consideration and rev.
erence, he is busily engaged in learn
ing from them. and Of them. They
have no spiritual secrets from the
wise eyed infant who so quietly re-
CARDS them. He has taken note of
them all and added to his person.
ality all that they can give.
Changes take place daily in the
mind snd body OF this infant, and
he is transformed before the un-
seeing eyes OF his family. One day
he astonishes one OF them by show
ing a character they had not count
ed on at all. He has a will. and
a way with him. and force to back
it up. Now all the experiences that
went into the making of his char
acter return in his behavior. What
ever went in is bound to come out
This process of hidden growth is
underneath the behavior of the child
who. one astounding day, defies his
mother. calls her names. kicks and
beats her with all his tiny might
The same process lies underneath
the behavior of the child who when
told to do something he would
rather not do asks. why must I
Mother?" When told that he must
because some things just have to be
done, he sets about it more or less
cheerfully.
Every experience that infants meet
affects their growth and in time
their behavior. The first three years
are training years for the next three,
and those for the next period. on
through adolescence and up to ma
turity. There is no magic in child
training. but there is much real liv-
ing, with all that implies.