Evening star., 1939-03-20
Fixed Penalty
For an Act
Is Wrong
Punishment May ,
Become Game
Children
BY ANGELO PATRT,

Katy is 6. Her mother was never
taught about the nature of children.
She knows only what she expert
enced, and she was brought up by
hard aunt who had children of
her own and obliged to earn a living
for all of the brood. Her aunts
method of discipline was short cut
to peace. You do this and I'll do
that to YOU Now that Katy has
to be reared her mother follows the
old pattern. Maybe she gets a
certain satisfaction out of it for the
days she suffered under the harsh
rule of eye for eye.
Did you spill that water? Go
get rag. Wipe it up. Now come
here and get your smacks. Three
smacks for spilling water. Now you
sit on that chair until dinner time"
20, you forgot to shut the door,
did you? Well, I'll give you some
thing to help your memory. Five
strokes with the switch will help
you to remember that doors have
hinges"
Now Katy has become a thorn
In her mothers flesh. She thinks
up things to do that provoke her
mother-the more destructive the
better-and she does not mind the
smacks and the switches beyond
the minute. Punishment has be-
come game between her and her
mother. But mother has wearied of
1t and wants a way out. She says
Katy is bad, plain bad. No child
would torment its own mother as
she does if she weren't plain bad.
She forgets that she started the
game and enjoyed it until it began
going against her.
There is always the danger of this
sort when discipline becomes tit for
tat. Making of rules is the making
of trouble always. 1t is a great
mistake to lay down rule and set
punishment because the conditions
of the act are never twice the same.
That means the punishment does
not fit. Better treat each emergency
as it rises. Better be free of rules
and regulations regarding child's
behavior so that one is free to act
with what wisdom one can muster.
Household rules should be general.
It is better to hold that good man
ners are a family characteristic,
something expected of every one,
than to set the rule: ANY child who
interrupts another person when he is
talking has to be silenced for the
half day and stay in his room one
hour" The interruption might be
necessary. or it might be excusable.
Leave room for Interpretation of the
situation always. And don't tempt
children to dramatic infringements
of ordinary discipline by fixing
penalties.
The same principle holds in school
management. 1t is mistake to
announce laws and penalties. ANY
pupil found writing on the walls"
ETC., is direct invitation to the
pupil who loves nothing better than
a contest with the authorities. All
he needs is a suggestion and he
starts to work. Then precious time
and energy are wasted on hunting
him. And if he is found, what of it?
Better take cleanliness and the care
of the building for granted and at
tend to any offense against them
when it comes.
Punishment is necessary only
when it helps the offender to a
better understanding of himself and
other people. Severity is useless.
Mr.. Patrf has prepared leaf
let entitled, "The Shy Child" in
which he tells parents how to
help children overcome shyness
and fear. Send for it, addressing
your request to Mr.. Angelo Patri,
Child Psychology Department of
this paper. Inclose self
addressed, STAMPED (3-cent) en-
velope.
(Copyraht 1Q3Q1