WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.060 Today, the Catholic Hour offers the first in a series of programs on Catholic child 2 00:00:12.060 --> 00:00:17.720 guidance, which will be presented by Sister Alice Francis of the Sisters of St. Joseph 3 00:00:18.280 --> 00:00:23.620 and Assistant Professor of Child Study at St. Joseph's College for Women in Brooklyn, 4 00:00:23.840 --> 00:00:24.620 New York. 5 00:00:26.900 --> 00:00:34.140 How many times have you mothers and dads listened to that request? At bedtime or 6 00:00:34.140 --> 00:00:40.200 when driving in the family car and by all means when something particularly pressing 7 00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:48.080 engaged your full attention. Teachers have heard this appeal too. Children gather around 8 00:00:48.080 --> 00:00:55.620 a storyteller in a way that casts a spell over a classroom. I am going to tell you a 9 00:00:55.620 --> 00:01:04.240 story. Its title is Child Guidance, not a tale of what we have come to call juvenile 10 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:10.680 delinquency, nor is it to be a recounting of the scientific studies of child behavior. 11 00:01:11.600 --> 00:01:18.460 This series on Catholic Hour TV aims to tell the story of those children you have with 12 00:01:18.460 --> 00:01:27.680 you in your own home, growing and learning from day to day. Child guidance, why? Three 13 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:35.600 reasons. One, the nature of the child. Two, well, the role of parents, their job within 14 00:01:35.600 --> 00:01:43.640 the family. And three, the two worlds of which our youngsters are citizens and the 15 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:52.720 kingdom of heaven. Preschool children need a wholesome environment. These youngsters 16 00:01:52.720 --> 00:02:02.940 that we will see require for play, activity, space, companionship and supervision. Rolling 17 00:02:02.940 --> 00:02:11.640 down the hill is quite active, but tensions are also released. Even new skills are practiced. 18 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:21.180 These children often tell us that they feel better and are much nicer people after a turn 19 00:02:21.180 --> 00:02:31.940 on the hill. More intense reactions sometimes. Danny is upset, but he is living with his 20 00:02:31.940 --> 00:02:39.560 problem. He's not doing much about it right now, but pretty soon here we see that he's 21 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:50.460 feeling better about it all. Danny is relieved from pressure. What next? From Gunther. It's 22 00:02:50.460 --> 00:02:55.660 hard to stand by sometimes when the struggle for achievement continues. These children 23 00:02:55.660 --> 00:03:04.560 think they're having a parade. Will taking turns be the solution? They all want the drum 24 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:12.680 today. Quiet times too have their place in child time play. What wonder and questions 25 00:03:12.680 --> 00:03:21.640 are forming in Joan's mind? Social learnings too have their place in the busy preschool 26 00:03:21.640 --> 00:03:30.220 day. These youngsters are really not playing together, just near each other. Watching these 27 00:03:30.220 --> 00:03:36.560 children in their everyday play has introduced you to some of the phases of the nature of 28 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:44.820 the child. Their activity, striving and unpredictability. Questions arise. Should traffic regulations 29 00:03:44.820 --> 00:03:50.740 be enforced on that hill? Is that kind of play more within the three year old's interest 30 00:03:50.740 --> 00:03:55.980 or would you say it has to do with five year old skills? And how are we going to get through 31 00:03:55.980 --> 00:04:05.260 to Danny? Will he feel better about it next time? As we move together into a study of 32 00:04:05.260 --> 00:04:12.780 child guidance, be aware of the many sided nature of the causes of child behavior. Do 33 00:04:12.780 --> 00:04:22.380 not be looking for one right reason for what happens, nor aim at pat answers. Why this 34 00:04:22.380 --> 00:04:28.740 child does this or that. Try to think as a scientist does. Gather up all the facts, then 35 00:04:28.740 --> 00:04:34.780 make a good guess as to why these facts are in the picture and then test your guess by 36 00:04:34.780 --> 00:04:42.220 looking some more. Our second point refers to the role of the parents. If you reject 37 00:04:42.220 --> 00:04:48.900 both extreme measures of child guidance, you are well on the way of practicing the middle 38 00:04:48.900 --> 00:04:56.780 road, effective guidance of children. If you depend on using your superior brains and brawn, 39 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:02.760 doing all the thinking and dominating all the choosing for children, for instance making 40 00:05:02.760 --> 00:05:09.700 them walk chalk lines for turns on the hill, then you are being authoritarian. If the other 41 00:05:09.700 --> 00:05:16.580 extreme comes into practice where you look over in Danny's direction and say, my, he 42 00:05:16.580 --> 00:05:24.600 can't help it, he's just like his father, then Danny is being indulged. Or you can indulge 43 00:05:24.600 --> 00:05:31.080 Louise by letting her take those mud pies into the house to decorate the living room 44 00:05:31.080 --> 00:05:38.740 table. We will not be resourceful with children if we are authoritarian as their leaders and 45 00:05:38.740 --> 00:05:44.520 neither will they ever achieve responsibility if we neglect to lay out for them the limits 46 00:05:44.520 --> 00:05:51.860 to what they may do. Effective guidance develops self-control, helping them to have better 47 00:05:51.860 --> 00:05:58.440 relationships with other people and in the end fostering good citizenship and righteousness. 48 00:06:00.860 --> 00:06:08.720 Environmental conditions today do not always help us in our job of child guidance. Our 49 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:13.720 consideration of the two worlds in which our children live. One world that we come 50 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:21.100 face to face with can be remembered as having of its part three C's. First C, crowding in 51 00:06:21.100 --> 00:06:30.020 our homes and neighborhoods eliminates the real poise and prayer and serious habits of 52 00:06:30.020 --> 00:06:37.240 work and study so necessary for growing children. Another C, companionship. You know there are 53 00:06:37.240 --> 00:06:42.940 companions of our children less wisely guided than our own that seem to militate against 54 00:06:42.940 --> 00:06:51.620 anything like a united family policy taking shape in our homes. And the last C, crime 55 00:06:51.620 --> 00:06:58.520 thrillers on TV and on the radio and in the movies and in the comic books can disturb 56 00:06:58.520 --> 00:07:06.720 the sleep that children so badly need and also introduce confused concepts of life and 57 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:15.060 conduct unless our entertainment is carefully screened. The second world in which our baptized 58 00:07:15.060 --> 00:07:22.120 children are citizens is the world of the supernatural. The world of the spirit because 59 00:07:22.780 --> 00:07:29.760 it is less tangible is very often neglected and who can say but that some of our children 60 00:07:30.730 --> 00:07:37.730 may see the bright wings and feel the warm breast of the Holy Spirit who as Hopkins says 61 00:07:38.450 --> 00:07:46.890 over the bent world broods. This is the beginning of the story. On this series in Catholic Child 62 00:07:46.890 --> 00:07:51.870 Guidance we hope to talk to you some more about the nature and the needs of children, 63 00:07:52.610 --> 00:07:58.970 parent child relationships, methods of discipline or effective handling of children so that 64 00:07:58.970 --> 00:08:08.270 you can act on principles and not depend on pat answers in your guidance. Let's look 65 00:08:08.270 --> 00:08:17.010 today at individual differences as they appear with youngsters together in a school. Last 66 00:08:17.010 --> 00:08:24.030 year one day our group of preschool children was discussing God. We got into this serious 67 00:08:24.030 --> 00:08:31.370 matter through many other former discussions when children met together enjoying the social 68 00:08:31.370 --> 00:08:38.390 give and take of conversation and an opportunity to have their say. The following comments 69 00:08:38.390 --> 00:08:48.890 were fairly typical of meeting time in preschool. David, a four year old contributed, God is 70 00:08:48.890 --> 00:08:55.890 a good person. He makes things grow and goes with you every time. Woody, his playmate, 71 00:08:56.850 --> 00:09:05.510 added, God gives everybody babies, puts out the sun and the rain. Five year old Michael 72 00:09:05.510 --> 00:09:12.430 awed at his own contemplation of divinity said, gee, God could even lift the Empire 73 00:09:12.430 --> 00:09:21.850 State Building. And our Claire whispered, God is so pretty. Yes, these children were telling 74 00:09:21.850 --> 00:09:29.870 us what they thought about God, but they were also teaching teacher about themselves. Each 75 00:09:29.870 --> 00:09:36.530 one of these reactions came about because each child is a person and he was speaking 76 00:09:36.530 --> 00:09:44.350 in his own right and from what in God he had been impressed. Their comments showed the 77 00:09:44.350 --> 00:09:52.870 children's awareness of and interest in activity, change, achievement. We also caught overtones 78 00:09:52.870 --> 00:10:01.230 of the child's need for security and affection. You know, right now in childhood, God has 79 00:10:01.230 --> 00:10:08.230 a place in their thoughts and hearts. He belongs along with their interests and daily experiences. 80 00:10:09.690 --> 00:10:15.430 Children come to a knowledge and a love of God as they play and as they ask questions 81 00:10:16.190 --> 00:10:22.770 and particularly when they imitate the example of God fearing and God loving people. And 82 00:10:22.770 --> 00:10:30.570 no two of these children do this in exactly the same way. David, child artist as he is, 83 00:10:30.570 --> 00:10:37.410 is comfortable with the thought that God is a good person. David has begun to understand 84 00:10:37.410 --> 00:10:44.710 the how of living, that some things are good and therefore that they should be done. Goodness 85 00:10:44.710 --> 00:10:52.690 is imputed to God. He has learned that that is God's way. He thinks God is wonderful 86 00:10:52.690 --> 00:11:00.490 too. He makes things grow and if you knew David as I knew David, you know that he meant 87 00:11:00.490 --> 00:11:09.210 that little boys grow into daddies, puppies grow into companionable mascots, seeds grow 88 00:11:09.210 --> 00:11:16.270 into fields of daisies. This little fellow likes people. At school we often hear him 89 00:11:16.270 --> 00:11:22.670 speak about mother and daddy and the baby brother of his nicknamed house breaker John. 90 00:11:23.670 --> 00:11:31.410 And with the final touch of the artist's brush, David paints into his everyday living how 91 00:11:31.410 --> 00:11:41.230 nice it is to have God go with you every time. Woody is a boy who gets things done. He appreciates 92 00:11:41.230 --> 00:11:49.830 God as the great achiever who in his almighty work day puts out the sun and the rain. David 93 00:11:49.830 --> 00:11:56.650 illustrates the craftsman which we can observe in so many children. Children are busy people, 94 00:11:57.050 --> 00:12:02.630 especially if they are in tune with their environment and at ease with the adults around 95 00:12:02.630 --> 00:12:11.070 them. The tools of their craft are their eyes and their ears and their hands, particularly 96 00:12:11.070 --> 00:12:18.390 that great gift of language which helps them tell us what they think and feel about their 97 00:12:18.390 --> 00:12:26.810 products. As good craftsmen do, children toss away what they find to be unsuitable in their 98 00:12:26.810 --> 00:12:37.050 products, therefore shedding or laying by unmeaningful or immature efforts. Adults then 99 00:12:37.050 --> 00:12:43.270 should not always hammer away at children expecting them to make the same mistake or 100 00:12:43.790 --> 00:12:51.090 leave children to their own devices, nor leave them without blueprints, those signposts on 101 00:12:51.090 --> 00:12:59.050 the way of adjustment which help these people to grow. Happiness depends on an atmosphere 102 00:12:59.050 --> 00:13:09.170 of firm and consistent yet warm and affectionate guidance. So God can lift the Empire State 103 00:13:09.170 --> 00:13:16.170 Building. Michael has a flair for the dramatic, doesn't he? Dramatizing the visible world, 104 00:13:17.430 --> 00:13:24.270 reaching from the here and the now into the realm of abstract, though nonetheless real, 105 00:13:24.610 --> 00:13:33.690 experience. At three years, a boy can visit with his daddy by saying, why, why, why? At 106 00:13:33.690 --> 00:13:40.010 four years, he dramatizes and pushes back the frontiers of his own experience when he 107 00:13:40.010 --> 00:13:47.790 plays engineer or takes off his favorite TV entertainer. At five, he wonders how they 108 00:13:47.790 --> 00:13:56.230 made the Empire State Building. And so these children learn, taking part in life, participating 109 00:13:56.990 --> 00:14:05.790 as well as learning in a secondary way from conversation, books, and teachers. And Claire, 110 00:14:06.550 --> 00:14:14.510 God is so pretty. How many of us wish we could recapture the charm of childhood with its 111 00:14:14.510 --> 00:14:22.690 simplicity, its glow of liking things and enjoying the passing present moment, being 112 00:14:22.690 --> 00:14:31.570 quiet and calling it good? To bring children into their roles of artist, craftsman, and 113 00:14:31.570 --> 00:14:37.890 actor, the job of education is to begin at the point where these children are operating, 114 00:14:38.710 --> 00:14:48.370 to begin where they are. Rich living has its beginning in the four freedoms of childhood. 115 00:14:48.370 --> 00:15:03.110 Freedom, to be happy with God, with adults and their ways, with things that are interesting, 116 00:15:03.550 --> 00:15:10.990 wholesome, and safe. Security then is the frame of reference which helps our children 117 00:15:10.990 --> 00:15:18.350 to stretch into maturity. Freedom, to learn, to experience the beauty of life. And so, 118 00:15:18.370 --> 00:15:25.470 to experience many things, to become oriented into what is expected of them and what will 119 00:15:25.470 --> 00:15:38.370 happen as a result of nonconformity. Belongingness sweetens the cup of learning. To create freedom 120 00:15:39.130 --> 00:15:48.350 to express the many things that they have been impressed by. Freedom to enjoy the things 121 00:15:48.370 --> 00:16:01.030 they enjoy. To use, neither to abuse nor misuse, persons, places, and things. Remember the 122 00:16:01.030 --> 00:16:11.290 Davids who like good persons, the Woodies who have so much to learn, the Michaels who reach 123 00:16:11.290 --> 00:16:16.570 as high as the Empire State Building while their hearts are strong for the things of 124 00:16:16.570 --> 00:16:27.230 the spirit and the Claire's who have an affectionate need. As special guests today, we have with 125 00:16:27.230 --> 00:16:33.390 us the NBC News commentator, Mr. Frank Blair and his wife Lillian. 126 00:16:33.470 --> 00:16:34.450 Good afternoon, sister. 127 00:16:34.690 --> 00:16:40.210 Good afternoon. I understand that you folks have a particular interest in our series on 128 00:16:40.210 --> 00:16:40.830 child guidance. 129 00:16:41.250 --> 00:16:45.170 Well, we certainly do, sister. I think we have seven good reasons for interest in it. 130 00:16:45.170 --> 00:16:49.950 See, you remind me of my dad. He never goes anywhere without one of these. 131 00:16:50.550 --> 00:16:54.730 Thank you, sister. Now, as Mrs. Blair and I listened and watched throughout the past 132 00:16:54.730 --> 00:16:59.350 few minutes, we noted some questions that occurred to us, if you don't mind. First of 133 00:16:59.350 --> 00:17:05.390 all, this ideal of self-expression, sister, isn't this actually the same thing as leaving 134 00:17:05.390 --> 00:17:07.290 the child to his own devices? 135 00:17:07.570 --> 00:17:14.690 We hear that so very often. No, leaving the child to his own devices yields spoiled children 136 00:17:15.170 --> 00:17:21.090 and we think of it as the indulgent method of child guidance. Sometimes it can become 137 00:17:21.090 --> 00:17:27.610 a serious problem. For instance, rejection of children has its basis, often, in the guilt 138 00:17:27.610 --> 00:17:35.270 that parents experience because they have left the child to its own devices and not 139 00:17:35.270 --> 00:17:39.670 being able to face that, that their job of rearing the child has become so very difficult, 140 00:17:39.670 --> 00:17:46.790 they feel that the hands-off policy is the very best one. On the contrary, when we speak 141 00:17:46.790 --> 00:17:54.370 of self-expression, we're thinking particularly of the child's abilities, talents, even those 142 00:17:54.370 --> 00:17:58.530 developmental tasks that he's busy about learning day by day. 143 00:17:58.810 --> 00:18:03.230 Now, these developmental tasks, sister, do they follow a particular pattern? 144 00:18:03.710 --> 00:18:08.750 Yes. Children are expected to be doing certain things at certain times. They have their time 145 00:18:08.750 --> 00:18:15.350 schedules, too. At one and a half, we expect the baby to be busy about toddling. When he's 146 00:18:15.350 --> 00:18:20.210 three, we expect him to be asking questions. We call them chatterboxes. By the time they're 147 00:18:20.210 --> 00:18:27.290 five, saints preserve us. They're just wild with running and shouting and enjoying big 148 00:18:27.290 --> 00:18:28.410 motor activity. 149 00:18:28.630 --> 00:18:29.910 We've had that experience. 150 00:18:30.770 --> 00:18:36.050 Well, sister, all family groups are not alike. How do we get a blueprint for our particular 151 00:18:36.050 --> 00:18:37.190 family situation? 152 00:18:37.190 --> 00:18:38.710 You've been looking for a blueprint. 153 00:18:38.950 --> 00:18:40.090 Indeed I have, sister. 154 00:18:40.250 --> 00:18:45.170 We hear this so very often in talking to mothers and dads. You know, when Mrs. Blair talks 155 00:18:45.170 --> 00:18:51.450 to the neighbor next door, she probably picks up some new plans and new devices, and I imagine 156 00:18:51.450 --> 00:18:56.210 you dedicate yourself to that kind of thing for about a week to try to find out if we 157 00:18:56.210 --> 00:19:02.670 can succeed using somebody else's technique of child guidance. You know, desiring the 158 00:19:02.840 --> 00:19:08.020 blueprint is the first stage, but you can do better than that. For years now in this 159 00:19:08.020 --> 00:19:14.520 country, child experts have been building in and compiling lots of information that 160 00:19:14.520 --> 00:19:20.400 has come about from a scientific study of children through their reports and their investigations, 161 00:19:21.040 --> 00:19:26.780 even control studies. And these things are now made available. For instance, in California, 162 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:32.480 there is a growth study in process which will grant us knowledge about children right up 163 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:38.180 through the age level. And in Rochester, Minnesota, the youngsters that are born are 164 00:19:38.180 --> 00:19:44.080 being studied for a period of 20 years. We ought to have many facts and build up a fund 165 00:19:44.080 --> 00:19:48.640 of information gradually that people can find and apply. 166 00:19:48.860 --> 00:19:51.380 Are these results available, sister, in printed form? 167 00:19:51.460 --> 00:19:58.060 Yes, and I hope during this series to send out a list of books that will, particularly 168 00:19:58.060 --> 00:20:03.140 in the area of Catholic child guidance, give people a start on the materials that have 169 00:20:03.140 --> 00:20:08.700 been coming on the market to help them do a better, more enlightened job of child guidance. 170 00:20:08.940 --> 00:20:12.920 Of course, we have to apply these things, and it's up to the school teachers and the 171 00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:20.020 lay people and parents in the home to understand better and then to give the children the scope 172 00:20:20.020 --> 00:20:21.900 that they need to grow. 173 00:20:22.760 --> 00:20:28.340 Well, sister, you tell us to be warm and affectionate with our children, but not to indulge them. 174 00:20:28.860 --> 00:20:31.540 What is the middle of the road in this policy? 175 00:20:32.060 --> 00:20:37.000 Say, let me use this seesaw a minute. The middle of the road policy, of course, is the 176 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:43.920 one that we're looking for. If an adult is very authoritarian with children, she will 177 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:49.580 rise up high like this, and of course the child becomes submerged into a submissive 178 00:20:49.580 --> 00:20:56.040 character. This child can't think or plan. He can't work toward any kind of experimentation 179 00:20:56.040 --> 00:21:03.140 to find what mistakes he's made or how to do a thing better. On the contrary, if the 180 00:21:03.140 --> 00:21:09.980 adult gives up and goes way, way down on the seesaw, there's a child left alone up in the 181 00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:17.580 stratosphere, maybe feeling rejected, feeling completely uncharted, and not too comfortable. 182 00:21:18.420 --> 00:21:24.120 Now what we hope to be able to work out for children in the methods of warmth is that 183 00:21:24.120 --> 00:21:30.940 we recognize that these youngsters have needs. The need is to work through in a permissive 184 00:21:30.940 --> 00:21:38.640 atmosphere their dependence upon adults. For instance, if our way up here, alone in Times 185 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:44.700 Square at night, for instance, I'd be rather confused. I need somebody to show me around. 186 00:21:45.340 --> 00:21:51.040 Children also, besides needing this warmth, have to have stretching room. They have to 187 00:21:51.040 --> 00:21:56.860 be able to grow up toward maturity in a gradual way. And I think by now we see that it's up 188 00:21:56.860 --> 00:22:03.940 to us to give them guidance so that the culture won't come in and lash against their immaturity. 189 00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:09.840 Sister, what about the old adage that children should be seen but not heard? 190 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:14.900 I think you're saying that we don't want to be bothered by children. And you know, school 191 00:22:14.900 --> 00:22:22.700 teachers feel that way sometimes too. Being not bothered, I see as a result rather than 192 00:22:22.700 --> 00:22:29.260 an aim in education. We're not bothered about with children if they're well adjusted. For 193 00:22:29.260 --> 00:22:34.460 instance, let's take a hypothetical family. Over here we have family A. The children came 194 00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:38.420 into the home when they were wanted and they're expected. They receive good guidance, not 195 00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:43.620 only for their mental needs, which we often consider the job to help them learn, but also 196 00:22:43.620 --> 00:22:49.840 their physical and emotional, moral, spiritual, social needs are being met. There is a consistency. 197 00:22:50.540 --> 00:22:56.240 The child expects what he's going to hear in the home. He knows what will happen when 198 00:22:56.240 --> 00:23:01.860 he does not conform. This child, you say, can grow up in an atmosphere where he will 199 00:23:01.860 --> 00:23:07.000 become well adjusted. And I'd like to say he probably doesn't bother his parents too 200 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:12.380 much. Then of course, and we all have met this type of family and it means that we get 201 00:23:12.380 --> 00:23:18.000 together and talk like this because it is such a problem. Here's family B. There is 202 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:22.620 an inconsistency in the guidance. You might say it's haphazard. Every man for himself. 203 00:23:23.860 --> 00:23:29.300 The children here are told on Sunday, and you know how important Sunday afternoons are 204 00:23:29.300 --> 00:23:35.220 in family living, they're told on Sunday that Aunt Tessie is coming to visit. So they want 205 00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:42.080 the child to either say a poem or play the piano or show off in some way. They do and 206 00:23:42.080 --> 00:23:46.600 think that this is what's expected of them. Comes Tuesday night and dad is awfully tired 207 00:23:46.600 --> 00:23:51.220 and something particularly interesting is coming up on his TV program. The child is 208 00:23:51.220 --> 00:24:05.200 told, go away. Don't bother me. Now a youngster like that doesn't know exactly what's a mishap 209 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:12.060 and therefore it's pretty hard for him to grow up within a good atmosphere. We have 210 00:24:12.060 --> 00:24:17.780 to be career parents and get across to our own children that we're going to try to be 211 00:24:17.780 --> 00:24:24.280 more consistent and at the same time feel free to have them be with us many times when 212 00:24:24.280 --> 00:24:30.120 we're so busy. Well how then can we plan to have children assume their legitimate role 213 00:24:30.120 --> 00:24:35.580 in the family home without overturning our whole lives to them? I can appreciate what 214 00:24:35.580 --> 00:24:40.620 you mean there. And in talking this over I have found it's helpful if we sort of get 215 00:24:40.620 --> 00:24:47.380 a little catechism together. First that parents have to agree. Mothers and dads should agree 216 00:24:47.380 --> 00:24:55.520 on the hours of retiring, choice of companions, allowances, spending money, the kind of thing 217 00:24:55.520 --> 00:25:00.840 that entertainment brings be it movies or comics or TV programs. In other words there 218 00:25:00.840 --> 00:25:08.620 are some musts. Secondly or be in our catechism, every child should understand what is expected 219 00:25:08.620 --> 00:25:15.300 of him and also should expect that when he doesn't conform certain things are going to 220 00:25:15.300 --> 00:25:22.100 happen. We protect children against themselves in this way. Thirdly that in a matter of, 221 00:25:22.100 --> 00:25:27.340 it is a matter of justice to encourage children. Now here I'm talking about rewards but I 222 00:25:27.340 --> 00:25:32.960 don't want you to think you have to pay everybody for doing things around the home. But can't 223 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:38.540 we appreciate that children like ourselves are fighting the world and the flesh and the 224 00:25:38.540 --> 00:25:45.780 devil and when they do a pretty good job about it let's praise them and reward them and let 225 00:25:45.780 --> 00:25:51.860 them know that we know it's a hard job and that they're doing very well. Another little 226 00:25:51.860 --> 00:25:58.120 word on that, sometimes parents should build up into their vocabularies encouraging statements 227 00:25:58.120 --> 00:26:04.120 that bring about cooperation in children. Just let me say this tiny little bit more, 228 00:26:04.340 --> 00:26:11.540 instead of being negative let's be positive and say I know you're trying or it was a mistake 229 00:26:11.540 --> 00:26:14.920 wasn't it you'll do better next time. That kind of thing I don't think we can stress 230 00:26:14.920 --> 00:26:19.140 enough. Then to the child this would be success but what about the parent-sister? Seems to 231 00:26:19.140 --> 00:26:24.380 me we've been striving for success for about 20 years. Let's make it 15 or 13 it's hard 232 00:26:24.380 --> 00:26:32.580 to believe. Success is relative. A one year old boy is expected to be a baby. A four or 233 00:26:32.580 --> 00:26:38.160 five year old boy is having success and he is successful. When he's hammering he can 234 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:43.920 get that nail to go right through a piece of wood. Children when they're painting sometimes 235 00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:50.620 are successful when they don't paint. Even sometimes children can be successful in playing 236 00:26:50.620 --> 00:26:55.940 Santa Claus. Well thank you sister we hope that next week you'll let us visit with you 237 00:26:55.940 --> 00:27:01.440 again and help us solve some more of our problems. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Blair for being with 238 00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:07.640 us today and it's our hope that your interest in our problem clinic will be reflected on 239 00:27:07.640 --> 00:27:16.540 the home front. Today we have brought to you three prominent ideas on child guidance. First 240 00:27:17.080 --> 00:27:23.880 concerning the nature of the child. That the child is active though an immature learner. 241 00:27:25.340 --> 00:27:31.680 We have tried to show you that parents should not be indulgent nor should they be authoritarian 242 00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:39.480 in their methods of handling children. And lastly and quite importantly that we adults 243 00:27:39.480 --> 00:27:46.520 as well as children are citizens of both the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth. 244 00:27:47.420 --> 00:27:56.080 We see each child as an individual person moving and growing in his own pace and into 245 00:27:56.080 --> 00:28:06.040 his own level of maturity. Next week we shall continue our study through baptism that great 246 00:28:06.040 --> 00:28:14.160 potential in children and develop some other valuable methods of child guidance. Next week 247 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:23.360 too I hope to give you ten commandments for parents. Until next week may God be with you 248 00:28:23.360 --> 00:28:33.580 and with your children. Today the Catholic Hour has presented the first in a series of 249 00:28:33.580 --> 00:28:38.060 four programs on child guidance featuring Sister Alice Francis of the Sisters of St. 250 00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:44.640 Joseph. If you would like a copy of today's Catholic Hour TV Washington 5 D.C. That's 251 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:50.620 Catholic Hour TV Washington 5 D.C. The Catholic Hour is produced by the National Council of 252 00:28:50.620 --> 00:28:55.840 Catholic Men. Join us next week when Sister Alice Francis will demonstrate tactile guidance 253 00:28:55.840 --> 00:29:01.680 with special emphasis on the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity. Your answer Don 254 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:02.100 Pardo.