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Show Your Child CLAUDE C. RUCH Educational Director, Childcraft Books, Chicago, Illinois. The child who is slapped for something he has done will probably start slapping at play. This occurs because the child realizes he was slapped when mother was annoyed or displeased, dis-pleased, Therefore, the young mind logically assumes that he can "take a swing" at a playmate play-mate who annoys or displeases him. The slapping problem often occurs when the child is beginning begin-ning to walk and show an interest in-terest in objects on the tables or low shelves. Often, because of the value of these overpriced objects, an adventurous child could bankrupt a household in several hours. According to the child guidance guid-ance experts, slapping the child is not the answer. To touch and examine these objects is healthy and normal for a child. He cannot can-not satisfy his curiosity by any other method. As difficult as this problem appears, it is an excellent opportunity for a lesson les-son in respect for ownership. For example, if a child starts reaching for a china box mother should say, "Here's your woolly lamb. The box is mother's." This should be done calmly. Don't swoop down on the child. Children are quick to notice if adults are tense and excited, and this sort of attitude will serve to fix his attention more firmly on the box. Also, give a three, four or five year old child the "duty" of turning on the radio or light switch, Let him ring1 the doorbell door-bell when you go visiting, indicating indi-cating that there are important jobs and must be treated in a grown-up manner, The biggest problem is taking tak-ing a toddler to visit a friend who has beautiful and costly items within reach. Mother in such a case should make certain cer-tain the child is fully equipped with favorite toys. If he persists per-sists (and he usually does) in getting to a cloisonne ast tray, simply say, without getting excited, ex-cited, "This is Mrs. Smith's, let's put it down and take this instead." Remember, children are often wearing on the disposition, and no one is a less loving mother or father if she or he gets downright down-right angry with the child. But the chief value of a slap is often of-ten to relieve the parent's irritation ir-ritation and clear the air. Don't act like a child when dealing with a child. |