All My Children

It may be better for your child to play with one or two quieter children at home, rather than with a gang of noisy youngsters elsewhere. This will often help a timid child to gain fresh confidence, and there may be less tendency for him to develop unfavorable traits of character. If parents would take more interest in the training of their children, they would have far less cause for anxiety during the years of adolescence.

When older children tell lies, it is usually because they are unable to meet the competition of their associates at school and the family at home. There may be little you can do about the school, but you can do something about the home situation. Growing youngsters often are exposed to unfair criticism from their parents when there may be no reason for this. Many a child has done his best in school, even though his examination re‑sults may not always show it. Everyone cannot be at the top of his class. And of those who do make top marks, not all are successful in later life. Hence it is far more important for your child to have a balanced outlook on life than to have the highest grades in the class. He may be more normal and eventually more productive than the brilliant one. Continue Reading »

It is perfectly natural for them to getdistorted ideas at times. Often they do this without realizing what they are doing. For instance, a little boy picks up a simple block of wood, probably of no value whatever. To his mind it has become a powerful engine, pulling a long line of cars. He plays with gusto, making all the appropriate noises and many more. His vivid imagination is at work.

All young things do this. Puppies and kittens run and tumble and jump, chasing after imaginary objects such as more mature animals would never do. They are forever running and climbing and scampering about. All this activity is preparing them for the time when they will be chasing real things, instead of merely running around in a world of make-believe. This is how they grow. Continue Reading »

Every quarrelsome child has an uneasy feeling of guilt deep down inside of him. Scolding and punishing him may only increase his feeling of guilt, perhaps driving him into further misconduct. In dealing with the problem, try to see things from his point of view. Don’t let yourself become angry. Keep your head.

When a child has hurt another, it is often better to take him away from the other children for a while. This will give him an opportunity to cool down and pull himself together. Tell him, “You are not ready to play with other children just now. When you feel better, you can go back, but not yet.”

If a toy or other object has been used to hurt another child, take it away and do not allow it to be used for some time. This will help each of the children to learn the lesson quickly. They will realize that anger and quarreling are decidedly unprofitable, and they will help each other to avoid the same mistakes. Continue Reading »