Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 304, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1918 — Kindergarten Helps for Parents [ARTICLE]

Kindergarten Helps for Parents

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BABY'S INTELLIGENCE

By MRS. HARRIET HELLER.

-It was to obtain Important information one morning not long ago that I ventured to ask admittance to a beautiful rose-embowered 'cottage across the street frotu my new home. ' A charming young mother met meat the door holding her baby on her arm. She endeavored to answer my question in a gracious and neighborly wqy, but was constantly interrupted by the child’s cries. While we stood there the infant was gently changed from one arm to the •other, then put' l ' upon her Shoulder.Later when we were geated within, she rested her uponr her knee in the timehonored position supposed to give comfort to disturbed “tummies.” All to no purpose. The little'one fussed and fussed. Quite naturally we fell to talking of babies. The young mother was thoroughly versed in modern lore; she knew* rules, regulations, symptoms, remedies, foods and all the rest, and Was enthusiastic about the modern science of bringing up infants. “As far as I can see, there is nothing the matter with her,” she said. “Possibly her teeth hurt her. She is young to have teeth, but ..sometimes you know— ■” and so on. The observation about the teeth was made In the same tone of voice, with a purely impersonal Inflection, which she would have used to say, “The machine is cutting the thread”—as if teeth were a contrivance to be adjusted by bolts and screws. Not once In my presence had she spoken to her baby. Wanted to Be Noticed. It was evident to me that her modern 1 training, while essentially desirable, had largely destroyed the instinctive expression of the natural mother. To her, baby was primarily a mechanism, and if she did not know of any mechanical means of correcting an upset condition, she was quite at a loss what to do. Baby, for her part, it seemed to me, was persistently denying this classification. She was notonly something, but somebody, and she: wanted the fact recognized. -x I thought at once of the way Froebel, the founder of the kindergarten, shows us how to meet such a need in his Mother. Play book, and how I wished I could try it. Just then the young mother was called to the ’phone and I seized my opportunity. / Miss Baby was' comfortably deposited on a coq’ch nefir me, but after a moment or two continued fretting and tossing her hands restlessly. Leaning over her I touched the little fists gently, thinking this greeting, “How do you do,-little one? You-are getting to be a big girl, and you want some one. to know. I believe you Want some one to notice you and talk with you.”

My touch must have aroused her notice because she gave heed. I next slipped my forefingers into the palms of her hands and baby-fashion she gripped them. “How do you like to hold my fingers?” I asked. Very gently then I began to raise her into a sitting position and she smiled as she felt her head leaving the pillow. When she could hold on no longer she fell back. Three times I did this, allowing her to fall back more quickly each time. Baby enjoyed the slight shock in falling, and in her little way increased in strength and in the consciousness of strength. She was now perfectly satisfied; her need for recognition and self-activity had been met. Song for Baby.__- . The conversation at the ’phone still continued and while waiting I tried to recall the song to-sing with this little game. In a few minutes, when baby was ready to play “Falling, Falling” again, I sang softly, lifting her this time by holding my hands at her back:

Down goes baby, Mother’s pet; Up comes baby, • Laughing yet. " Baby well- may laugh at harm. While beneath is mother’s arm. Down goes baby. Without fear; Up comes baby, Gaily here. Ail is joy for baby while In (he light of mother’s smile. j Upon her return the little mother expressed great admiration for my skill as a baby-charmer. “It was quite simple," I said and described what had happened. She was much interested and wanted to know more about Froebel’s Mother Play. . A few days later when she came to eall I had my old worn copy of the Mother Play ready to show her. It surprised her to learn that this book which Is used so much by kindergarteners was written especially for mothers with children up to six years old, and she listened eagerly as I showed her the six or seven games which baby might play. My new acquaintance thanked me most appreciatively for the help I had given her and when she left she carried the little book away with her tucked under her arm. -