Milford chronicle., 1939-08-04
THE CHiLDs BILL or RIGHTS
Florence Miner

flOTence miner
We had gone to Belle Isle for Q
picnic supper, to see the sunset, anC
to enjoy the early evening coolness
Margaret, about two and half years
old, begged for a walk, so her father
went with her. There was much food
for Thought in watching that walk, az
/ did sauntering along behind.
The wise father chose the less fire.
quented way to avoid the automobiles
He did not grip Margaret by the
hand, but let her walk independently,
as all children love to do. When she
seemed to be turning toward the road
where an automobile might appear
suddenly, he did not call out or ex-
claim excitedly. Don't go there,
Peggy! You'll get run Overt" Meth
er did he grab her by the arm and
pull her back as he would have done
had the danger been imminent. In
stead. as unobtrusively as possible,
he put himself between her and the
roadway. This was sufficient to turn
her unconsciously in the right direc-
tion.
When the walk brought them to the
shore of the great lake and she was
inclined to go too near the waters
edge, he pointed to some stones that
she might like to pick up. When he
thought she had walked far enough.
they sat down on the clean sand and
dug a well and built a house of
stones.
On the return by a different rs1te.
the method was the same. If the
child wished to stop to look at
flower or follow a fitting butterfly,
the father waited. He never forgot
that this was Margaret's walk. and
that she ought. as far as possible. to
be allowed to enjoy it in her own
way. Not once did he touch her ex-
cept when of her own accord she put
her hand in his for a few cOntented
steps.
This is no argument for the ex-
treme follow the child" theory. but
it is a plea for avoiding Unnecessary
with the natural activi-
ties of a child when the matter con-
Germs only the child. 1t is a protest
9 against unnecessary fussing over
children. against dragging them by
main force away from some activity.
their participation in which makes
no difference to anyone else; it is a
protest against the needless fussing
with child's clothes. pull here and
a pull there, the brushing back of a
lock of hair that looks better any
way when following its own sweet
will. the pulling of children about by
The arm and. in fact. against all those
needless nervous fussings that too
many parents infiict upon their chill
dren.
There was woman on train. Her
boy. kneeling on the
seat, was watching through the win
low the fascinating panorama un-
'Olding before him-trees. cows. lot |
If chickens. a horse-drawn wagon
I'll of which called forth joyous ex-'
,lamations. II was difficult to under |
stand the mothers point of view |
when she pulled the boy down into |
he seat-not urgently but firmly
rave his clothes needless pull and.
o add insult to injury. wet her finger
md stroked back lock of hair that
vas all right before. Now be good
10Y" she said. giving him a tender
,at and a look of satisfaction. He
ad been very good before and happy
esides. Now he was Obedient but i
lot happy.
There is a small circle around ev-
ny child in which what he does is
is own affair, and the circle is
onstantly enlarging one. Within this
ircIe he should be allowed almost
omplete independence. When he
teps out of it into the circle of life
18th others. then he must learn to ad-
ist himself to the demands of So
iety. But that is another story.