Evening star., 1946-09-02
Readers Clearing House
souABBLING CHILDREN

o&OAooLkIN1 S1A4kikS1tEslN.
from Mrs. W. NJ. w., Silper SPRING.
For Mrs. G. L. F., whose neigh
borhood children squabble. As /
stated above, I encourage the chill
sren to play In my yard-yes. and
many days I have all 10 Of them for
many hours. I must say, we have
had a very wonderful summer. True,
we have many scraps and squabbles,
but our happy hours are far more
numerous than our unhappy ones.
In looking back over the growth in
our neighborhood and the manner
in which the children play, I can
suggest the following: lHere, wish
to say, all know about handling
groups Of children, I learned at a
cooperative nursery school. heart
lily recommend a coop. for any
mother Of preschool-age childD
First: Make rules for all to abide
BY. Rules that serve your needs
and keep the children from infring-
ing on your individual rights. For
example, no children are allowed
In our yard until mine come out to
play in the morning. All children
must 60 out Of our yard at our meal
times. No children can play in our
front yard (under my 4-year-old's
bedroom window after he goes to
bed at pm. I even 60 so far as
to ask them not to be noisy in the
front street until he gets to sleep.
! can do this because offer them
my back yard and my large back
screened porch in which to play.
Also, I do not allow my children,
who do not nap, to play noisily
near the other children's windows
In the afternoon when they are
mapping. Children are to play out
of-doors in nice weather. (This
rule has exceptions I'll mention
later) Children must not come in
my yard to play when we are not
home except to ride their bikes down
our paved driveway.
Second: Don't make all the chill
dren play the same things at the
same time For instance, the 6-year-
olds can do things the 3-year-olds
can't do and should be given place
and materials uninterrupted by
small fry. For example: My 7-year-
old is allowed to bring her two ''big"
girl friends into her bedroom to
play house and dolls. She shuts the
door and the 2-to-5-year-olds are not
allowed to bother them. Sometimes
the little ones will come around and
ask to be "the father" or ''the baby"
but if the big" girls do not want
them, I suggest other things for
them to do. Luckily, there are
enough 2-to-5-year-olds that no one
is left without a companion. Some
times I ask, but do not tell my T.
year-old to include her 4-year-old
brother In her play If he Is left over
and she does it-only as long as he
conforms to their way of playing.
II he does not cooperate, she may
put him out.
Third: If the squabble is fair
one-both sides evenly matched, mol
weapons being used. try to let them
fight it out. 1t will be much more
satisfactory conclusion than your
setting up adult standards which
will not satisfy either.
Fourth: When an older child tells
you he hit a 2-year-old. because the
younger one hit him first, my an
swer is, big boys don't hit little
babies. Keep out Of his way, 50 he
can't hit you" To the 2-year-old, II
go right to him to get his undivided
attention and say, Don't hit. If he
has something you want, ask him
for 1t" or Don't hit, tell what you
want. Hitting doesn't tell him any
thing. Talk TO him about It," OF
course, I am stricter enforcing this
rule with the older child than with
the younger one who is just learning.
Fifth: To respect my own chill
dren's rights, the visiting children
have to ask permission to use my
childrenis toys. The visiting chill
dren often bring over . prize toy to|
entice my children's permission, so
things even up.
Even so, Of course, at times things
DO not run smoothly. The only
punishment, I ever administer Is toI
send child home or to send my
own to his or her room. And with
nine other children outside playing, I
can assure you that is punishment
enough! When send child home
because we are eating, etc. do it'll
politely but firmly and always with
the invitation ito come back later"
INSECTS.
(From Mrs. r. J. w, Washington
To Mrs. w. H. F.: I have found
packaged borax the best thing for
water bugs. Sprinkle wherever you
see bugs. They just disappear.
To Mrs. A. G. A.: Get cayenne pep
III