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Show rpHE STORY OF THE UGLY 1 DUCKLING has perhaps touched more hearts than any other fairy tale ever written. This is because most of us as children had moments mo-ments of feeling unappreciated when the tale of the despised duckling duck-ling who turned out to be a swan was balm to our smarting egos. Now these temporary moments mo-ments of feeling unimportant to the family are inevitable and perhaps do us more good than harm, for can you imagine ima-gine anything less desirable i than growing up feeling worthy every second? No self -searching, no need for resolving t improve oneself In our opinion opin-ion that would be like living in a climate where there were never any weather changes. But feeling that one is an ugly duckling for days and weeks and years at a time is something else again. Such an experience may do a swan no harm but It is soul searing sear-ing to a human being. That is why parents should try to make their less attractive or less gifted children chil-dren feel as important and welcome wel-come as their handsomer or smarter smart-er brothers and sisters. This is f done by bringing out and making j much of their good points, but not In so obvious a way as to make ' the child realize that you are compensating com-pensating for shortcomings of personality. per-sonality. Just such heavy - handed methods were once used by conscientious parents. For example, ex-ample, the homely child was dressed more plainly than the others, hair pulled back In the most unbecoming manner, and ' to make up for this, virtues were extolled. "Ellen isn't pretty, but she is so good to children" or "Bob la unattractive but -" - he gets 98 la arlthn, !T eratlons of elSldS" side over these Z? marks. U t(. Taking this matter of i , it is possible nowadV'V child most of the dighW Sp,"i , less well favored C 1' dren. Youngsters 4 ly criticai of their "'Patlc hut they can be nCra , scious of an unbecomh V11 especially if they do S color or the length little more nfoneys 1 more time spent in S least pretty of your 2S often save that" chUdT edge of being different K But won't he or k, learn someday tha, ,,1' looks? Certainly, ZiyT they can take i they have felt equall? 7 Ished. And by then? tcV? ' . . much they eatdn All a homely gin 1 " today U wear more enchlZ hats, bigger errin , f stunning haw. fully chosen colors . k sisters to be consider Z smartest looking ta the hmj,! For it Isn't the fact of havfa.', big nose or spreading motT' freckles that harm. . chM, I It's the parents' unspoken fri polntment, "Oh, dear, Sally .1 iT NeUie'' thaw that brings realization of tk.l plight The least attractive chlldl ever knew was treated b, mother as If she were beautiful ! don't mean in smiy, vain Ka, but with ths same emphaiu oo t stalling graciousnesa of manner care in grooming and wirenesicf good taste that the mother wwij have devoted to prettier child. |