Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-09-11

Similarly, some mothers
(their world about sex edu-
cation that they dazzle the
child with pryotechnics Of
detailed explanation. both
bewildering and boring. Make
certain first what informa-
ton the child wants and
give it TO him. with no added
flourishes. I might add the
caution that some children
aren't interested at all in
reality and will discard SCI
ence every time.
1t cannot be taught at
some appointed moment con-
venient for the mother. It's
hopeless to draw a child
aside on q quiet afternoon
when the ironing is done and
expect that this is the time
to launch a discussion about
sex. The child simply won't
listen. A young person hears
only what she wants to hear
and only when she is ready.
A skillful. sensitive mother
may be lucky and have her
chance on such an afternoon.
Usually the very finest mo-
ment in the child's life to
tell her about the pull Of
desire. for example. occurs
when guests are expected at
any moment. The little
girl. watching her mother
hurriedly fastening her ear
rings. suddenly asks How
did Annie get a baby-she's
not married." The child is
ready for an explanation and
VIII listen to every word. 1t
doesn't take long and the
guests are not nearly so i'm
portant.
Even If the mother is wise
enough to seize the oppor-
tunity, she must also realize
that anything. anything.
delivered like a sermon is
unpleasant listening for a
child and will be tuned out.
The right attitude for i'm
parting knowledge is warmth
and gentleness. I favor my
self the old-style way of
taking a child into your
arms at such times. The
closeness of mother and
daughter are as essential as
anything the mother is say
ing.
Be natural and simple in
explaining reproduction to
a child. 1t can be easily
told. even in a city. with the
example Of familiar animals.
I'm not so much inter-
ested in what parents tell
their children about living
as in the emotional attitude
that is instilled. A proper,
soundly constructed attitude
can see a child through his
whole life. relatively UNI
harmed no matter what
catastrophies occur. What
children need to know is that
the theme of reproduction is
respect. kindness, RESPONSE
bility, and affection. They
learn this through their
pores. absorbing the atmos-
phere of the home. The
relationship between the
parents establishes the tone
that the children will always
associate with marriage.
Parents should never be
rude TO one another-at
least not in front OF the chill
dren. The father shouldn't
be irritable or the mother full
Of tears. A child can accept
occasional disagreements be-
tween the adults he loves,
but not the acid evil Of con-
slant dislike and insult. A
father can teach his son a
good attitude towards sex in
the courtliness and consider
alton he shows his wife. A
mother can teach the grass
roots principle Of happy ad-
justment in the respect and
admiration she shows her
husband. This is sex educa-
ton In its finest, most intel
ligent form.
My own choice OF obs
tetrics as a profession is
rooted, ! am certain, in an
incident that happened when
I was flve years old. MY
mother took me into our
guest room and pulled open
the bottom bureau drawer.
The smell Of camphor and
cashmere stung my nostrils
and / saw the drawer was
filled with beautiful baby
clothes.
This is our secret" my
mother told me. with O..