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Show t? - 'Children Need 1V; t&'SC' More Time &BJk HjftCSi; ; Time to Play' flu ji i By GERRY AVANT Church News Staff Writer Mrs. LaVern W. Parmlcy enjoys the "Parmley Museum," a collection of world souvenirs displayed in the Perm ley home. La!LnmUJ 1 1 ; BSA Has 'Expert' on Council t I Sister LaVern Watts Parmley, genera! president of the Primary, has been appointed to serve on the National Advisory Council of the Boy Scouts of America. She is the second woman to have been appointed to the council. She has been serving on the National Cub Scout Committee for the past five years. Sister Parmley has been general Primary president since April 1952. She in a counselor as the served 10 for years prior to general presidency being asked to serve as president. Her many years of experience in supervising the activities of the Primary organization in the church, which now has more than a half million children enrolled, has given her many opportunities to observe children all over the world. With her observations, have come some of her own personal conclusions about their needs, their problems, and their abilities. Children face more challenges, temptations and pressures today than they ever have before," she said. There is so much competition, even among small children. As a result of this competition, they feel they must excel." Sister Parmley said she felt the competitiveness children feel has burn instigated by parents. Some parents feel the lives of their children need to be programmed.' They fill every minute of the child's day with something for the child to do. There are ball teams, dance classes, piano lessons. Children arc involved with so many things, they dont have time to play like they used to." Sister Parmley continued, I feel that children today aped more free. time, but - CHURCH WEEK they also need guidance and direction. They need time to be children and not each others rivals." playmates She said that what happens in a childs early years is very important. By the time a child is 12 years old, his habits and attitudes are already formed. What hes going to be as an adult is pretty well begun by this time," she said. She emphasized that for this reason, children need to feel secure, accepted and important when they are very young. There is a lot of emphasis ihesc days on the needs of the teenagers; parents are worried about reaching their teenagers, but the small children need parents to lisen to them, too, Sister Farmley said. Some parents feel that young children dont have problems, but have many problems." they do-t- hey She referred to a survey conducted by a national women's magazine. Children were asked who; kind of parents they would like to have, if they could pick Do you know what many their parents. of the children said they wanted their parents to be like?" Sister Parmlcy asked "They didn't say they wished their parents could afford nice homes, or that theyd buy things for them. The children said they wanted their parents to do things with them. Things like playing ball, with the mother pitching and the father catching, are Important to children." Sister Parmley said that the Family Home Evening program could Rat bo over emphasized. "This could be a way to let the children in the family know that they are important," she said. "They could really talk about their problems, and their feelings." her many honors, arc Sister Parmley has beer, associated with children in a responsible position ail her life even when she was a young girl. I was raised with eight brothers," she said. I was next to the oldest in a family of 11 children; I didnt get a sister until I board. was 16. 1 had a great responsibility, being next to the oldest, and the only girl for so long. We lived on a farm, and we worked in the beets during the summer. 1 took over some of the direction in the home, helping mother," she explained. I think my greatest joy has come from my association with the Primary Sister Parmley had her first teaching job in the church when she was 14, and was hired as a school teacher when she was IS. She taught until she married Charles Parmley on June 2S, 1923. He is now a professor of physics at the ITmor-sit- y of Utah. The Punnleys have two sons and a daughter, 12 grandchildren and one greatgrandchild. During their childrens it wasn't unusual for the Parmleys backyard to look like a neighborhood playground. "Ail our children were very active," Sister Parmley said. We had basketball hoops and volleyball nets up, and our home was always filled with our childrens friends. Elder and Sister Parmley sometimes Joined in a game of basketball or volleyball, adding to the excitement and delight of the youngsters. Sister Parmley has many responsibilities besides those which come with being general president of Primary. In addtition to her activities in Scouting, she is a member of the Deseret Gym Committee, Promised Valley Playhouse board, and the Utah Lung Association ENDING NOVEMBER 3, 1973 HI Wl. Atr.-n- being named Woman of the Year by the International La Sortoma Club convention in Chicago in 1970. In 1971, she received the Utah State Medical Associations Annual Award of Merit. Childrens Hospital," Sister Parmley said. She has traveled to just about every country in the world and it gives her great joy to see a child who has returned from the Primary Childrens Hospital to his native country. I've seen former patients, in their home country, happy and dancing, when they couldnt walk before. Ive seen their grateful parents and she said. grandparents Sister Parmley learned long ago that little acts of kindness say a lot and go a long way. Even though busy with her responsibilities and travels, she still finds time to bake cookies and dozens of loaves of banana and apple bread to give to appreciative friends and neighbors. She is ir. the process of making a needlepoint piano bench cover for a member of the Primary general board. A little over a year ago, SLter Parmley heard a woman on the radio say she didnt have time to visit her friends as much as shed like to, so she tned to ko'p in touch with them by sending a card to someone every day. Sister Parmlcy was impressed with the idea, and has thoughtfully mailed a card to someone every day since she heard the radio program. She doesnt think anyone can ever be too busy to let others know they're being thought about. |