Evening star., 1941-09-04
No Disgrace
InChildish
Mistakes
Mischief a Natural
Phase in Growth
Of Youngsters
By A neelo Patri

By Angelo Patri
why are children so troublesome?
I'm sure I never gave my mother
the trouble mine give me. I'm ready
to give up. Why couldn't / have
@ good child like other people?"
whats the matter?"
Everything. If it isn't one 1t is
the other. Always something Mrs.
Melton Just called me up to tell me
that that boy of mine would surely
end in Jail. He chased her boy
through the flower borders, across
and into the fish pool and right into
the living room where she was enter
tanning. both of them filthy, drip
ping and yelling like mad. Imagine
how I feel getting a message like
that. I give up. I've done my level
best to bring the children up de-
Gently and so has their father. But
this is what We get"
wait a minute before you give
up, Mary. Didn't the Melton boy
run through his own flower borders
and into the pool and into his own
house, on his own legs? And wasn't
he first at it? Wasn't your boy
behind him?"
That's just the point. Mine was
chasing him. Don't you see that
II he hadn't been chasing him the
thing wouldn't have happened?"
TT took two of them, I'll agree.
But after all the Melton boy used
his own legs, didn't he? My point
Is: Why feel that you are elected to
own the worst boy in town when he
has a perfectly fine partner?"
That's so. But I get the blame"
"Why don't you reverse the phone
calls once in while? When some
body calls up to say his child has
been led astray by yours why not
just speak up and ask about what
happened to your boy? Or else
don't think the world has come to
an end because healthy lad played
O hard. rough game with another
healthy lad. Don't be niggling
about the growth of husky young
ster. They are never too nice, you
know"
Boys, and even girls, forget the
nicely of home ways now and then.
They get into mischief. They do
silly things and worse. They make
mistakes, some of them serious
enough to give us a headache. But
they are not hopeless. Childhood
and youth are the periods for
growth, for trial, error, redemption
and renewal.
Don't feel disgraced because a
youngster makes a mistake. Tell
him about it gravely: explain its
implications, but don't despair OF
him. He has years remaining in
which he can gather wisdom.
Leave the telephone alone. Bad
news travels on its own wings. The
other mother feels the same as you
do. Why add to her grief? Attend
to your sinner and ignore the other
one and so win merit for your good
sense Keep a sense of proportion.
1t took you and the neighbors 30
years to acquire the manners and
the poise you possess, and If they
are shaken by the pranks of chill
dren they need another 80 to
strengthen them for emergencies.
Keep trouble with the children
family secret as far as possible.
There are other things to talk about
and no child can have confidence
in his family if his misdeeds are
talked about. The less said the
better, always.
Do your children present
problem by their behavior when
there's company? All these
matters of adjustment to the
world are wisely considered In
Angelo Patri's booklet, "Your
Child and Other People" Send
for 1t, inclosing 10 cents. Ad-
dress Angelo Patri, care of this
newspaper.