Evening star., 1941-03-26
Explain Why
Child Must
Obey Rule
Blind Acceptance
Of Orders Not
Intelligent
By Lefffce Lee Street,

Halfway up the stairs, on her
way to do her mothers bidding, she
paused. Putting out both chubby
hands, palms up, in frent of her.
she regarded them with a puzzled
frown.
Then she descended. one step at
time, to the floor below, where
she sought her mother, and SOL
emnly looking into her eyes asked,
"Why must I wash my hands be-
fore lunch. mummie? They are all
nice and clean now
The rosy palms with the soft little
fingers curled over them did look
perfectly clean, and her question
was certainly justified.
Her mother laughed, and taking
the two small fists in her own. she
explained that every one should
wash his hands before a meal
whether they looked clean or not.
Satisfied with the reason, the little
girl trotted back upstairs to do as
she was told.
This mother was wise to tell her
little daughter why" instead of
giving the unfair and oft-used an
swer, Because I told you to-" She
was correct in realizing that the
child was not showing stubbornness
or argumentativeness. nor was she
willfully disobedient when she did
not blindly obey an order that
seemed foolish to her.
If child feels that he obeys
not for the bald fact of obeying, but
because there is a sound reason
behind every order, he will not be
nearly so apt to revolt against doing
what he is told. He will know that
the command is a just one.
How many times a day do you
say mo" or don't to your small
children? The sensible mother is
very sparing of these words, but
when she is obliged to use them,
or tell her child to do something,
she thinks before she speaks and
she carries out her intent, with a
voice and eye that are businesslike,
casual and firm.
AS a child grows older his mind
becomes more and more Unsuitable
in its thirst for facts. He will ask
"why?" to almost everything that
is said II is a sincere why" and
expresses his yearnings for an un-
derstandable answer. If his parents
do not reply to his questions he
will be deprived of much of the
knowledge that he is unconsciously
hurrying to acquire each day to keep
up with the rapidly extending de-
mands of his mind.
n is natural for children to want
to know what makes the wheels
60 round" and if you answer your
child honestly, briefly. patiently and
within the limits of his age ability,
you will win his everlasting con-
fldence and respect. In turn he will
be as you have been to him; sem
sible, understanding person.
Many times a lively youngster is
blamed for disobedience that he
did not intend, and many tears
could be spared if parents would
take into consideration the childs
limitations according to his age
| When little child repeatedly fails
| to carry out instructions it does not
necessarily mean that he is doing
| this on purpose, as small children
do not understand a great deal of
what we tell them. Sometimes they
fool us by looking at us brightly
and saying, "Yes, mummie, / know
what you mean" when they do not
at all. They think they do. but
their minds are simply not old
enough to have grasped the fact
before them.
Our words may be too big, our
manner of speaking too fast, the
facts themselves so complicated
that they are entirely misunder-
stood. Or, it often happens that
the child gives up trying to gather
what we are saying and thinks about
something else while we are talking
In all fairness to little child we
should be sure he understands us
before we expect him to obey.