The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-05-28
WHEN CHILDREN ARE

BY LUCIA

Robert was the first child in the
family and was made much of by his
parents, grandparents, auntS and UNI
cIes. He was showered with gifts, but
mechanical toys and construction sets
never appealed to him. He liked to hear
stories and was quick to tall about
them and to ask questions.
He lived in the city where there
We're forty-five children of approx
matcly the same age or II little older
on the block. Sometimes Robert liked
to play with these children, but more
often he enjoyed his own imaginary
companions. They We're seven N eight
in cumbersome of them boys and
some girls, and all had names, most
of which came from some story that
had been read or old to him.
For the most part, he planned for
himself occupations which included
these Story-book comrades. Perhaps he
would say as supper was nearly ready,
"AIomnie, may | ask Alice and Jake
the Giant Killer, and GoldilOckS to
have supper with uS?' and when his
mother would say, Yes" he would go
to the door and call them to cOme.
That was enough. From that point
on, they were there as far as he was
concerned, but he seldom talked with
them before other people.
When Tony was born, Robert was
much pleased with his baby brother.
From the first, Tony was very differ
ent. He soon began to use his hands
and to enjoy handling things, turning
them about and placing them in diff
fercnt positions. If he put IL block on
the edge of II box or chair, he
watched il as If he expected it to do
something. If it tumbled off, h" would
take another block and watch how near
the edge he could put it without its
tumbIing, OF hc would throw ii ana
show interest in where it landed.
He was not talkativc, although h"
talked earlier than Robert. Evidently
he benefited from Roberts CONVERSE
lion. But he was not inclined to play
with Robert. He preferred 10 enter
tain himself.
Robert had been given each Christ
mas for three years, a conSlrucliv"
mechanical outfit, cach set, i'm turn,
being more advanced than the pre-
viouS one. Although Robert never had
seemed to care for these, one of his
relatives had continued to give him
TIA" sets. The fourth year, Tony was
,lI ,,,,,.rI, H.. L.,nIl, IA. last .,t ,,,J
he Went to work trying TO figure out
how TO use the different parts. His
father, who had for some time real
iZed that his two small sons We're very
different, got out II simpler set which
had long been put away. Tony had the
time OF his life.
He was like Robert in That he was
not interested in playing with other
children to amy marked extent. II"
would watch them if what they were
doing appeared to him, but usually in
II few minutes he would turn to his
own things for entertainment.
When he first went to nursery
school, he was irkcd by anything SAVIOR
ing of routine and plainly diSplcasrd
when he vas interrupted in what he
was doing. He rarely asked questions,
for he had his own ideas, even to tn"
point of naming things.
Clearly the two brothers are very
different and may be- expected to de-
v"lop along entirely different lines.
Fortunately, their parents are follow
ing the wise cotrS" of giving each child
IN opportunity To follow his own in
clinationS much of The time, but part
of the time, tn" two are encouraged
Ia share the same occupations.
In this way, it is hoped that the
children will develop individual per
Sonalili"S and still have better rounded
interests and characters because of
their Tim" spent together.