Evening star., 1939-01-13
Routine Very
Important
Child
But Vary Program
To Prepare Him
For Changes
By ANGELO PATRI.

We have to routine a child's life
to help him to feeling of security,
the most essential feeling in child S
mental health. Changing mealtime
from time to time so that child
never knows when to expect his food,
having bedtimes when convenient
for everybody except the child, doing
things as the fancy dictates, at the
moment. prevents the setting of use
full habits. Routine makes for physi-
cal and mental health and real
growth. IN
But is it possible to be too rigid
in this important matter. 1t is
possible to fix situation so firm
ly in/ the mind of child that the
situation becomes more important
than its cause. A child had beele
accustomed to have his meals at
little table set in a corner of a
certain room. When his table was
moved to another room he refused
to eat. 1t was not an expression
of disobedience or WillfullneSs; it
was his feeling of loss. The old
situation was too familiar and he
was bound by it. He had to make
a fresh start and he had not been
prepared for it.
I think it is always a good
scheme to prepare child for
changes. 1t is always good to vary
the routine, while its basic prin-
ciples are held. For instance, sit
ting at little table is fine, but it
is just as we'll to move it about
little within the accustomed room.
same menu day after day. spinach
at noon-like it or not styles not
good. Vary it with other green
vegetables. If possible have some
body other than the usual person
attend a child so that he will not
become custom bound to his mother,
or his father, or one nurse. The
monotonous variety is the ideal way
to routine child.
After a child has become accus-
toned to one situation it is time
to vary it a little, but not before.
1t is best to have him learn one
thing before making any new mo-
tions. After he learns to eat at
his table in the corner of the din
ing room the table can be moved,
but not before. After he has learned
to welcome his bath at his mothers
hands it is time to let somebody
else try it.
When making changes like this
in a little child's routine, make
them gradually. Let the person who
is to relieve mother at bathing time
appear with mother often enough
to let the child become accustomed
to his or her presence. Let this per-
son gradually take over the function,
first handing the soap as a con-
tribution, another time doing the
powdering, another maybe the dry
ing off and helping with the night
clothes. That allows the change to
take place without shock.
Familiar situations form asso-
Citations in the child's mind. The
bath means mother and much
water and feeling of comfort
afterward. The little table in the
corner means dinner and a COM
Portable feeling. The sight of either
of them arouses the memory of these
feelings. If they are broken OF sud-
denly there is certain shock to
the child's feeling and thinking,
and he cannot behave as usual. So
while change is good, familiarity is
basic to the formation of associa-
tions and habits. The two principles
must be respected.
First set the habits, then grad
ually shift the situations so as to
vary the associations, while holding
firmly to the habit.