Milford chronicle., 1939-09-08
THE MATTER OF ADJUSTMENTS
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Emilia OnHI WALLACE
Young children live largely in the
present. Impressions are retained as
they get a little older; then they
/ learned to anticipate-a new toy
which has been promised, the
wonderful Christmas season, trip,
or visit to Grandmother's house.
/ But sometimes the child is permitt-
ed, even urged, to stay Overlong in
the stage Of development where he
quite naturally occupies the center
of the stage. AS soon as possible after
birth, the child should be led gently
but firmly along the pathway of
reasonable adjustments. This is i'm
perative If the infant is to be healthy
and. happy and not to disrup the
whole household. His feeding period
his rides in the open air. his bath
and hygienic habits all need to be
established systematically.
The child should from the first
have regular hours for bedtime and
maps. He should never sleep with
parent. It will be much better for
him not to sleep in the same room
with his parents. Not only will the
sound Of conversation and the many
activities of the older ones disturb
his rest, but psychologists now tell
us with positive certainty. that even
when children seem to be asleep.
they sense what is going on around
them long before they can put such
an experience into words. Much has
been done in the way of mother
education to emphasize these points,
but further adjustments are equally
necessary.
Now. if a child is to learn to make
adjustments, he must be given an
opportunity to do it. To entertain or
amuse a child every moment of his
waking hours is a mistake. 1t leads
him to expect constant attention and
prevents the development of initiative
and resOurcefulness.
The little ones should learn to play
by himself. Sometimes he should
play with other children-with one
child or with several, in order that
he may learn to make the adjust
ments which those experiences will
call for.
Bobble is playing with his little
friend John. at the latter's home.
When the time comes for Bobbie and
his mother to go to their own home,
Bobbie cries to take a certain toy
with him.
II would be easier to let him do
that and to return the toy later. but
that would give Bobbie the idea that
whatever he sees and wants he may
have.
Instead of permitting him to take !
the toy and so establish a precedent
that will cause trouble in the future,
BObbie's mother smiles and remarks /
"Oh, we can't take that toy for it
belongs to John. He'd miss it. It's
his and when you come to play with
him another day. you and he will
have a good time with it again"
Bobbie cries and reaches out an
entreating hand for what has pleas
tu nliils uut no dtlcnNibh 10 pau "
that. Rather. Bobbie's mother di-
verts his attention by saying. Well
invite John to come over and play
with you very soon. Oh how kind
Johns mother is! She is giving YOU
a nice cookie to take home with you.
See. it is all wrapped up in pretty
paper napkin, and you may have it
for supper.
So Bobbie forgets the toy and
knows that the cookie has been given
to him and is his, and that he will
enjoy 1t.
When we teach a very little child.
tactfully, to make such adjustments
as are suitable for at the time, as he
grows older he is likely to continue
to make what ever adjustments cir
require. almost spontane-
ously, or at least with comparative
ease. II is a sourse Of mental and
spiritual riches to be able to make
the best of our circumstances and