Evening star., 1940-12-04
Shed Heavy
Clothing
Indoors
Teach Children to
Follow Advice
At School
By ANGELO PATRI

There is a difference of about
thirty degrees between the outdoor
and indoor temperature these days.
Children rush In and out, and fire.
quently this means many head colds,
if no worse I'm only going across
the yard, mother. I'll be right back"
seems sufficient answer to plea for
a sweater or coat and cap.
Worse than running out without
hat or coat is neglecting to take
them off after coming into the
house. We have to watch the school
children to make sure that sweat
ers, mackintoshes and rubbers-
especially rubbers-are taken on
during school hours. Every year
some aggressive youngster tells the
teacher he is not going to take OF
his sweater or other outdoor wrap
pings. because his mother told him
to keep them on.
We are too wise now to argue the
matter He keeps them on until we
can get to his mother that very
afternoon and explain that he sits
in a room heated to 10 and over,
goes through corridors heated to
close to 70. and the outdoor clothes
mean perspiration, discomfort and,
In the end, a chill when he gets out
doors. Once his mother knows why
we want that sweater hung In the
locker, it hangs there.
Boys and girls of II years and over
dislike to wear sweaters, raincoats,
overcoats and the like. Their mothers
insist. "Its December. You can't go
out like that. Go get your sweater"
The argument RACES until the door
slams.
Don't argue with this child If you
can manage not to, but try to ar
range things so that the right thing
appears to be the logical thing. Let
the thermometer decide what wraps
are necessary. Train the children
to consult it and dress accordingly.
The thermometer is an impersonal
recorder whose decision cannot be
argued away. Let it do the ordering
and avoid the whole business OF dis
cussion and irritation.
Distance from the school and the
indoor temperature there must be
considered. 1t is not necessary for
the children who live on the block
with the school to wear as much
clothing as the children who live at
60 81 Of Iicfrirt Chill.
dren who travel in heated bus will
not need as much protection as
those who walk couple of miles.
All these factors and the school con-
ditions must be considered, but even
then try to keep the whole business
as impersonal as possible. The chill
dren wear the clothes and If they
insist on something that seems ridic-
ulous to you investigate before you
issue mandates. You may be wrong:
maybe you are right. Better make
sure.
When the cold weather outfit Is
selected mark each piece. Use a
linen tape, plainly marked with the
childs full name. Initials will not
help In time of trouble. Sew that
label firmly onto the cap, the coat,
the sweater, each mitten, each rub
Der. You have no idea how much
two sweaters can look alike, and
how certain two boys can be that
the sweater belongs to each of them.
A pinch clothespin carried in the
pocket to pinch the pair of rubbers
together saves lot of worry. 1t is
these little things that make the
difference between good manage
ment and bad a comfortable day
or an unhappy one.
If your youngster Simply won't
do what he's told" you probably
are taking the wrong way with
him. Be guided by Angelo Patri's
booklet, obedience" Send for
it. inclosing 10 cents in coin.
Address Angelo Patri, care Of The
Evening Star.