Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 83, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1914 — Do Not Check Child When He Smashes His Christmas Toys [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Do Not Check Child When He Smashes His Christmas Toys

By Dr, MARIA MONTESSORI,

Expert op Child Education

BE gentle with the child who smashes his Christmas, toys. The fault is not his, but yours, who provided him with toys too complicated lor his immature little mind to understand. LITTLE CHILDREN ARE NOT NA TUR ALL Y D ESTRUCTIVE, as most parents have reason to suppose, but the instinct to pull the

object to pieces is the only natural thing for a child to do with something it does not understand. Most toys given to children are too complicated. instead of EXPECTING CHILDREN TO AMUSE THEMSELVES WITH TOYS THEY DO NOT UNDER-

STAND MOTHERS SHOULD ASSUME MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINMENT. THE MOTHER WHO DRIVES HER CHILD AWAY FROM HER SIDE WHEN SHE IS WORKING MAKES A PITIFUL MISTAKE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ESTIMATE THE EFFECT UPON THE CHILD’S MIND IF HE WERE NEVER TURNED AWAY—IF HE COULD ALWAYS BE SURE OF SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PERSON HE LOVES MOST OF ALL. Confidences would come more easily in the years when they are longed for if they were invited in the years when living was exciting and every, act a great adventure. The child should be ALLOWED TO WORK WITH THE MOTHER. Imitation is the first instinct of the awakening mind. The child wants to do somethin" o sensible. Useless play without a meaning does not appeal to him; neither do so many of the tasks set for children in the ordinary schools. That is why children are rebellions’and naughty.

Photo by American Press Association.