| Show Your Baby and Mine By MYRTLE l MEYER ELDRED PRE PRE TEACHING nA DI CAPS CHILD The prideful mother wants her child to shine She wants him to rattle off oll rhymes recognize letters and numbers learn to read in advance ad vance of oC other children To this end she feels eels that she must begin this educational stuffing process before he arrives at school age SUCCESS SUCCESS AND FAILURE If It she i is successful and she may maye be e she takes away all the interest that hat school should possess for the child If h he really knows how to do everything the other children are just learning he Is 15 bored to tears with school If he hc Is pushed Tah ad into the next grade rade he is handicapped handicapped handi capped by his age ace and develops de a sense of ot inferiority he can compete with the children mentally but not physically or socially If It the mother is not successful and she may not be because of the childs child's a age c he develops a feeling of distaste for Cor numbers and letters and this whole business of learning things which will carry carryover over to his school days From every angle teaching the child school subjects before school schooldays schooldays schooldays days arrive is open to the most serious seri sent ous question as to its desirability Hnot If H not its it actual harmfulness HARMLESS ILESS TEACHING But there arc are enough things a mother can teach the child to keep her busy every minute She can teach him to dress himself to manage manage man age buttons and shoelaces to keep himself clean That gives him a mastery mas tery and Independence the child can never achieve e If H he Is dressed by his mother or nurse his She can teach him how to run and hop and march in time to the beat of ot a drum or to the rhythm of a piano pi pl lano ano or radio song She can read to him so that he learns to love poetry and literature for the pure joy it gives I cs him and not as something to tobe tobe tobe be memorized She can establish and run his life In an orderly manner so that he becomes accustomed to meals on time bedtime at regular hours and does not rebel against them INDEPENDENCE DENCE She can teach him how to take care of or himself on the street encourage him to understand and carry out orders orders orders or or- ders accurately She can give him himan himan himan an opportunity to cut and paint and draw and throw and mold and use tools thus acquiring a mastery over his smaller muscles that will pay rich dividends in the future She can give him an opportunity to play with other children and learn the take give-and-take of ot social life Any mother has her hands full lull j if she conscientiously fulfils all these requirements All are educational In Inthe inthe inthe the sense that they give Jive the child command over his body and make him happier and more Independent Such a child is then ready for tor the subjects school is better able to teach him He is not handicapped by beIng being be be- ing a baby in habits or thinking or dependence upon lIpon his mother and he heIs heIs heis Is able to adjust himself socially to the groups with which he is a ted Tomorrow Mastery of or Spoon and Cup Lead Way to Independence |
