Glacier County chief., 1940-03-22
EDUCATION
In the Home
Issued by the National Kindergar-
ten Association, West 10th St.,
New York City
TruthfuIness
FLORENCE WIGHTMAN ROWLAND

Little children do not always under
stand the difference between truth and
imagination. Nearly every mother has
faced the situation Of having her child
romance quite surprisingly. Usually the
parent is at loss to know whether
the child is doing this in the spirit of
mischief or whether he really thinks
he is truthful.
My grandmother used to punish her
children very severely every time they
resorted to eXaggeration in the least,
fearful lest they should grow up to be
imaginative child. came in for her full
share of punishment. This, later,
caused her to resolve that, when her
children reached a similar stage in
their development, she would help
them to understand the difference be-
tween truth and fiction, instead of
Furnishing them. She kept her resolu-
ton. OF her four children, three are
professional writers. Had we been
punished, when We told of astonishing
happenings that never really occurred,
the Imagination and descriptive ability
necessary for honest journalism would
probably never have been developed.
My three daughters told their share
of imaginative stories, and listened
patiently. would say, That was a de-
lightful story. Madge. I enjoyed it.
Now tell mother what really hap
pened." When they were still very
little, my girls realized that I knew
when they were making up tale, and
they would quickly proceed to tell me
the actual happenings.
1t is not long before children learn
the difference between tale to amuse
and one told to deceive. We may tell
them the latter is wrong, but actions
speak louder than words.
Mrs. Smith calls Mrs. Brown up to
invite her to dinner. Not caring to go,
Mrs Brown pleads a previous engage
Mary or Johnny, knowing she intends
to stay at home or is in perfectly good
health, is taught the undesirable art
of Misrepresentation and soon learns
to apply the rules even more diligently
and successfully than mother. The diff
Mary or Johnny when she catches
them in such a fault, while she herself
will usually escape even reprimand.
If children are not afraid of the con-
sequences, they will usually own up
to any wrongdoing or accident. My
rule is, never punish if the child has
told me frankly what happened. You'd
be surprised how quickly the boys and
girls will run to tell about a broken
window or an ink spot on the floor
I have sometimes had the child earn
the money to replace broken or de-
Stroyed article when I was sure the &C
cident could easily have been prevent
ed. This is not punishment that
frightens child. Madge washed an
extra meals dishes for a month, once,
to replace a lamp she had carelessly
knocked over. To her this seemed quite
fair. This method usually impresseS the
child with the commercial value of
things, and future reckleSsness is there
by cut to the minimum. I know, for
over 10 years now, and it works as
tonishingly we'll. I've never known it
to cause Misrepresentation.
In conclusion, let me say that chill
dren are naturally truthful. The more
work with mine, and the more
youngsters I come in contact with.
while teaching, the more I am i'm
pressed with the actually of this state
ment. If child is not truthful. it is
generally the fault OF some adult-re-