The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-10-17
RESPONSIBILITY CAN
BE TAUGHT
FLORENCE w. ROWLAND

"He won't do thing to help me-"
one mother complained to me, during
friendly chat. 81 think he wants to
help, but he is always too busy with
other things. If he does start a job, he
usually leaves it long before it is COM
pleted."
"How long has he had chores to
do?"
The woman thought moment.
"Let's see. He's twelve. started ask
ing him to help me around the house
last summer"
"That'e the trouble" l replied. "You
started ten years too late"
meant it. Children Of twelve do not
automatically feel the urge to help
with the work. Very young children
do, and the urge should be strengthen
ed by means of satisfying experiences.
The young child's tasks should be reg
ular, interesting and never wearisome.
started with my Roger when he was
less than two years of age. First, he
helped me pick up his toys. We had
a particular place for each one. He
soon learned these places and enjoyed
becoming responsible for putting
away slowly increasing number Of
his playthings. Like all very little
children, he was then much interested
in his shoes, so the privilege of put
ting them "to bed'' was fascinating.
1t meant putting them away in the
shoe bag, which was tackled low
enough on the door to be easily reach
ed. l believe shelling peas and help
ing to set the table came next. 1t was
great fun for the child and much COM
panionship for me.
When he was old enough to under
stand, l listed the tasks, which he was
to undertake by himself, on chart,
and this he enjoyed marking. The list
included such things as brushing his
teeth and washing his face and hands,
as we'll as the household duties which
he was performing regularly at that
time.
If task was neglected, the blank
space was proof enough of the neglect.
Since repeated lapses may cause an in
feriority complex, | often mentioned
some of the scheduled events to the
child. This was while he was still five
or six. By the time he was eight, this
was not necessary, and responsibility
like getting dressed on time was never
a problem The rubbish was emptied,
papers picked up in the yard, walks
swept, and anything else | had asked
him to do was done regularly.
1t was a custom, followed by all of
my children, to sing as they worked.
Silly little verses, some of them were,
made up to suit ourselves, but what
ever the words, they were sung with
appreciation and made work more en-
joyable.
My eldest daughter, Madge, is now
twelve. She irons her own middies for
school, washes the dishes for one meal
and does a creditable job, makes
cookies and simple cakes, sets the
table very nicely, helps with the daily
cooking and runs the vacuum, dusts,
polishes her own shoes, puts buttons
on her clothes, keeps her room neat
and manages to get time to play, at
tend school, read, embroider and sew
for herself and her doll family. She
is a very active, busy and happy child.
If you think she is over-protlclent.
you should see her two younger Sis
ters. They are fast following in her
footsteps and at times, surpass her
accomplishments. All four of the
children are confident with regard to
their work, trustworthy when doing 1t
without supervision, are able to com
plete many jobs a day successfully
and are self-reliant. Their ability has
been built up by years of satisfied
effort.