The Union County journal. [volume] (Marysville, Ohio) 1875-1951, 1950-09-25

match is enough for most child
rem at first Later on, when strik
ing the match himself is the bil
thrill, let him light the oven fol
YOU or the logs in the fireplace
But always point out the
dangers of fret is part of a
child's safety education to be
we'll aware of risks and dan.
gers.
In this day of houses all on the
ground floor, teaching a child tC
stay away from open windows
may not seem SO important But
you never know when he may
visit someone who lives on a sec
ond or third floor.
Living on the fifth floor as l do
l am frequently terrified when
friends children seem totally UNI
aware of the danger involved in
hanging over the window sill. Sc
wherever you live, teach your
child caution in regard to open
windows.
HOW MANY TIMES a day do
you say mo" to your children?
Sally'S mother overheard her
daughter saying to a playmate,
There's no sense asking my
mother. She always says No
Thus prompted, the mother un-
der discussion decided 10 count
the number of mos" she actu-
ally did deliver each day. And
though she doesn't divulge her
exact count, she says it was as
tonishing high.
She then began TO weigh the
decisions she had made and
found that good many of the
things that she had forbidden
could have been permissible at
least with notifications. Sal
lY couldn't play in the mud
with her good dress on. but
she could have come inside
first TO change into overalls.
Saying mo, Sally's mother
realized, had simply become a
habit. When we call a child to
lunch and he asks, Can we eat
out. under the trec?" we say
quickly, mo Dear, Hurry and sit
down at the table" We give no
reason for the refusal probably
because we have scarcely given
the question a thought. But a
chlld's requests are important to
him. And if he must be refused
he can at least be told why. If it
rained yesterday and the ground
is too muddy for an outdoor
lunch, explain this. Tomorrow,
you may point out, will be a bet
ter day for picnic. And if it is
sunny tomorrow and the child
still begs TO eat his lunch out
doors, why not? OF course it may
be a bit of extra trouble to load
d tray and carry it outside, but
a happy youngSter loves to help.
And often even a customarily dis
dained vegetable is eaten with
relish as part of a festive picnic.
Sometimes we say mo" just
because a child's requests
seem ridiculous. But children
usually have a reason for do
ing things or wanting to do
them. One day Susan asked her
mother if she could wear her
cowboy boots to school. a rath-
er feminine little girl. fond of
ruttled dresses. Susan had al
ways loved wearing patent
leather Mary Jane pumps to
school. Her cowboy boots were
for after-schooI play. This new
request baffled her mother.
until the child explained that
the boy who occupied the seat
behind her kicked her heels.
Rather than tattle to the teach
or fight with the boy. Sue
had come up with this re-
sourceful solution.
DiSapproving 6 too quickly
often has another disadvan-
tage. 1t is likely to cut us off
from great deal of enjoyment of
our children The picnic, for ex-
ample, though first appearing
troublesome, would prob a bly,
have turned out to be fun. AS
5ured of at least listening and
audience, children
will be more inclined to tell par
ents their thoughts. The world, |