Show OUR CHILDREN by ANGELO patra DONT LAUGH C CHILDREN 1111 IREN take v i and their ways seriously A lut t of thought and effort so go into their work and play piny the results of their efforts look good to them the lopsided box the crooked sheet of paper the primitive sketches anre perfect in their eyes when you point to them with the finger of scorn when you laich ot at them yon hurt the creator of these works to the heart genrl lie put nil all he had into them and you poke fun at it all artists all craftsmen work to their vision before ever a 0 tool touches the material the idea Is COW complete the worker sees only that vision not until his hands are lifted and the work set apart does he realize the that lies between his vision and ills his work gradually as hip hi fervor cools the rr ot of imperfection dawns upon him another vision Is horn born and another work Is started sinned it will be started it if his spirit Is not nm crushed it t will not be started if ridicule kills the creative spirit teachers and parents often fall fail to get this point of view which Is the childs very own to the teacher every error stands out like a sore thumb parents In rents feel the efforts ot of their children krenly keenly they struggle along and suffer with them it to Is to hide their anxiety and their pain that they so often belittle a childs effort dont do 10 that thal appreciate the work of the childs mind find hand go behind tho cli clumsy linsy effort to the vision tile the child cherished so long as his work Is sincere it Is good you can say so safely so long us as the child cherishes his vision and struggles t to 0 attain it tie can be encouraged and praised screen his unseasoned spirit from biting sarcasm and the bitterness of ridicule it Is cruel to wound a child through his work T this ha Is true of very little children as well Us ns older ones when a child tries to tell te a story and falters fallers using the wrong words falling failing to catch his own idea ill firmly enough to express I 1 it I 1 clearly it funny it is I 1 US as gren a disappointment to him as a bad investment Is for you and you know how you welcome tile the sarcasms of your friends on that point unless you can stand beside the child lit pitiless iless you can see what he sees find and feel as lie he feels unless you can understand his impulse and ap appreciate preel its his effort to create and to express you cannot help him then at least you need not hurt him laughter can be as cruel as a blow and as kind as a caress |