Evening star., 1941-06-27
ChildShOuld
Not Dread
Reports
Parents Attitude
Toward Grades
Is Important
By Leftice Lee Street,

Ten-year-old Bill is an average,
all-around boy. He is cheerful,
obedient and athletic and promises
to grow into q fine man.
Like all of us, he has his weak
nesses. One of them is that he
cannot concentrate on his studies.
Before school was over he was not
at all sure that he would pass into
the sixth grade and he was so scared
he lost his appetite, hardly had the
pep to play baseball with the other
fellows and his school work was
worse than ever. II he flunked he
knew good and we'll that he would
get q licking.
We are not going to discuss the
reasons for Bills .nattention in
class, for they may be many, but
rather, let us talk about the way
Bills mother and father react to
his poor reports.
Before the school term ended I
venture to say that in this land
there were thousands upon thou
sands Of pre-adolescent children,
as well as older boys and girls, who
looked forward with dread and un-
certainty to their final reports.
They feel this way not so much be-
cause they suspect that they may
not pass into the next grade, but
because Of what their parents will
say II they should not.
School cir y,
Of the scholastic ability of a child,
plus whatever comments the school
chooses to include. These may be
remarks about effort, sportsman
ship. department, neatness and so
on. Where a young child is con-
cerned they are generally the opin-
ion of one teacher.
II the teacher is fair-minded and
well trained, these facts are VAL
liable 70 the parents in summing
up their child's weaknesses and
strength scholastically, physically
and spiritually. Wise parents an
slyze such q report seriously.
But If q report, good or bad
preJudices the parents unfairly
either for or against a child and the
facts are not used constructively TO
help him. then the parents are
doing their child an injustice.
1t Is conceded by child educators
and psychologists that when chill
dren are mishandled at home and
behavior problems result, it is gen.
orally due TO either overattention
on the part Of the parents or just
the opposite, neglect. The happy
medium is the course toward which
parents should aspire.
II your child is afraid to show
you his reports or If he is boastful
about them, it is time for YOU to
take stock of your attitude toward
his school work. No child should
fear his parents, nor should he feel
that he is protected from reality BY
a mother or father in whose ewes
he can do no wrong. Nor should a
child who excels in his work be
given the harmful belief that he is
superior to all other children.
If a child's marks are poor he
needs help, encouragement and ef-
fort to find out why this is. not
punishment. If they are excellent
he needs honest praise without ex-
aggeration and a reminder that 1t
is his duty to society to develop his
talents and keep up the good work
Neither type Of report should be
discussed in an excited, high-ten-
sion scene. but instead should be
viewed with whole interest
tolerant questions and helpful
words calmly spoken.
We have prepared a helpful
chart Of average foods suitable
for young children which we will
mail to you upon request. Just
ask for our CLASSIFIED FOOD
TABLES and incI0se = Scent
stamp. Print your name and
address clearly and direct your
request to the Woman's Depart
ment OF The Evening Star.