Evening star., 1940-08-06

Taught to
Children
Youngsters Learn
ByDoing Things
Themselves
BY ANGELO PATRI.

10 develop ch1ld'S self control
to the point where he can 60 alone
in security is the aim of all teach
ers and parents, and yet we often
fail to achieve the aim because OF
our own interference. We are afraid
he will make a mistake, We are
afraid he will get out of hand, we
are impatient with his fumbling
so we shout, stop it. Do as I tell
you"
do as tell you" is fine in time
Of emergency, but no emergency is
lifelong. In our way of living an
emergency comes maybe once in a
span of years, as when child swal-
lows button or his older brother
climbs out on limb and can't find
his way to earth again. Other times
it is wiser to stand back and give
the child a chance to help himself
to stay out Of trouble, or, having
gotten in, to find way out for him
self. But we don't do that.
Nov why are you carrying that
big thing? Here, give it to me. Yes
yes, it's altogether too heavy for
you. Where are you Juggling it?
Haven't I told you thousand times
you are not to build hut? In the
first place you don't know how, and
in the second place, I won't have
such a mess. It's going right back
where it came from"
Most small boys make huts. They
are not perfect bits of architecture
but they are adequate for the pur-
pose and to the builders they look
perfectly beautiful. They are not
an addition to the landscape, but
they are an addition to the boys
growth. Planning it, building it
furnishing it, using it, is a course
Of study that betters many another
They need it, and they love it
more loudly praised.
Don't worry about the hard work
1t is a release of energy for growth
If this release is not offered at the
right time, given full cooperation
and much applause, the growth
which is so precious to the small
boy at this time is lost, never to be
made up again.
Some make huts, some build
boats, some gather pets, some dc
experiments with chemicals, some
string wires. All find something they
love to do at this age, and If they
are helped by encouragement and
praise. they thrive under the
scheme. If not, they fall back into
childishness. become rebellious, fret
full. delinquent.
go find something to do and stop
bothering me-"
you won't let me do anything
Anything 1 want TO do you make
me stop
You've heard that many times,
and it is a reproach to all of us.
We must help the children to find
something they like to do and al
low them to do 1t in their own way
as far as possible. They will make
mistakes, they will fall short of the
ideal, they will seemingly waste
time and energy. Don't stop them
if they are not in danger. This
seeming waste and general foot
lessness Is normal to healthy child
hood. Stay back, lend a hand when
1t is needed, but let the weight of
the job fall on the creative worker
himself. Then he will be self-con-
trolled. self-directed and self-sus-
tanning
We cannot expect a child to grow
into self-directing personality if
We do the selecting, the work.. the
whole job ourselves, and push the
child back into his helpless infancy
by making him an onlooker, an
imitator and follower. Growth is
slow. 1t is made up of experiences
most of them seemingly trifling
such as digging wells, making huts,
shouting on the lot in the convic-
ton that a ball game is being
played. But each counts its full
weight if it is a personally carried
responsibility. Self control means
control of the self by the self and
nobody else.
Mr.. Patri has prepared a leaf
let entitled Helpful Habits" In
which he tells parents how to set
and maintain good habits. Send
for it, addressing your request to