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Show YOUR BABY AND MINE Traditions Rule Rights Of Younger Generation By MYPJIE MEYER ELD RED Boeauaa for tha Isat genera-tlon genera-tlon or mora tha emphasis la child-rearing has been upon tha righto of the child, tha parents forget that they, and aodety in general, alao have righto which must be respected. This emphasis upon the righto of the child grew out of the previous generations' complete indifference to them. They treated children as if they were toye, or exploited them for economic eco-nomic gain, but failed to regard re-gard them aa human beings with desires to be gratified, personalities per-sonalities to be respected, needs for love and security to be fulfilled. ful-filled. Going all over-board on the Idea of giving the child the privilege of being himself, has led to a atrange confusion of ideas for the parent She be-lievea be-lievea that ahe la doing right by tha child when aha allows him to act as he wants to set; while this idea is at war with her own recognition that this way of acting la falsa to all normal nor-mal living. No one, child or adult can do as ha pleases all of the time. We are all surrounded sur-rounded and in the grip of rules,. " "regulations, " customs, manners, traditional ways of scUng, religious re-ligious prohibitions of conduct which force us to conform and to act in ways that ara for tha beat good for tha greatest number num-ber of persons. We cannot possibly rear a child to live in this regimented world without living him experience ex-perience in thwarting hia own desires and giving consideration to others. To that end. the parents par-ents have rights which it is proper for them to enforce on the bssia of this consideration for them aa persons, if for no other. Children have a right to be noisy at times, for yelling Is one way to use a voice and all children, reach the point when they want to experiment with screaming, just for the pure pleasure it gives them. But, not all of tha time, nor any time it pleaaea them to do ao. Parents Par-ents have headaches, they want to be quiet and concentrate and they ahould explain and Inhibit the noise. Children like to pinch, hit kick. But the explanation that it hurts a small child or helpless help-less animal ahould be enough. Let them uae these tactics on inanimate objects; dolls, punching punch-ing bsgs snd footballs. Children have a right to refuse re-fuse food when they are not hungry; but no right to capriciously capri-ciously deetroy It or make mealtimes meal-times unpleasant by whining or captious demands for something; some-thing; else. So it goes The child has a right to be himself within the limits set by the lawa of health and good living which tha parent par-ent should teach him. To allow the child to grow up a savags in tha belief that hia personality personal-ity is being developed, is a travesty on the whole principle of human righto. Our leaflet No. TO "Asking Why snd What For," discusses the questions children propound. pro-pound. It may be had by Bending Bend-ing a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your request to Myrtle Meyer Eldred in care of Salt Lake Telegram Home Service Serv-ice Bureau. |