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Show 'Successful JParenthood i MRS. CATHERINE CONRAD EDWARDS I j Associate Editor Parents Mapail Ke n Lev? Mov ir. fcac'.:! fur Child e a Lrrn.F perspective la aiways riceutd for self-evaluation. So for the moment put your children out of your mind, and ask yourself, "If I were a child would I like myself my-self as a parent?" For example, when you were little didn't you enjoy en-joy most those grownups who obviously ob-viously liked children, not just you yourself because you meant something some-thing special to them? In the new motion picture, "The Search," a Utile Ut-ile boy, typical of the pitiful children chil-dren wandering around Europe, having lost track of parents and friends, hoping only for a scrap of food, is befriended by an American soldier. The American feeds the child, binds his wounds, clothes him. Anyone perhaps would have done as much. But the young lieutenant in his fondness for the child, painstakingly pains-takingly wins his confidence, teaches him to speak English and gradually erases the marks of the child's past suffering. Eventually the solemn - eyed, frightened little boy Is laughing and rough housing with his soldier friend. And it's easy to see that the American is not acting merely from a sense of duty. He's genuinely fond of children. This is a trait Americans have to a marked degree. If you lack It, however, it doesn't necessar ily make you a formidable Mnn-ty Mnn-ty Woolev. But if you are a parent pa-rent it would be well to cultivate a liking for children in fineral if only for the added warmth this will contribute to your lore for your own family. Now few of us are equally attracted attract-ed to all ages of ohiidrau. You may, for instance, adore babies, but you may be squeamish about rough-and-tumble school ohildren or standoffish stand-offish with the 'teens. Or you may actually recoil from infants and be endlessly fascinated by bumptious eight-year-olds. All right, face the fact of your natural preference in types and ages of children, but resolve re-solve that you won't let It make any difference In your relations with your growing family. Too many mothers who take wonderful won-derful care of their babies seem almost al-most to become antagonistic when the child is old enough to be a person per-son in his own right. So resolve further to find the most rewarding relationship lor every stage In your child's growth. There will be lovely stretches of easy companionship, then times when you seem as far apart as the poles. That is one of many reasons why parents must keep their love flowing steadily to their children, for the times when they seem to reject It are the very times when the need it most. |