Education: Pointers for Parents

What are U. S. parents' chief worries in raising children? To find out, Professor Ernest Osborne of Columbia University's Teachers College and a staff of WPA researchers polled 75,000 parents. They learned that parents were puzzled by such problems as children's tardiness, indifferent eating, reactions to bad movies, need of sex education, boredom during summer vacations, tendencies to jealousy and lying. Last week Dr. Osborne began to distribute a series of mimeographed pamphlets (price: 1¢ each) advising parents how to solve all these problems. Some Osborne pointers:

> To avoid scenes at table, serve attractive, tasty dishes in small helpings, be cheerful, never nag. If a child still fails to eat, remove his plate after 20 minutes without comment.

>First of the Ten Commandments of Discipline: "Thou shalt use no emotions which you do not wish to see reflected in the child. An angry mother makes an angry child." Third commandment: "Thou shalt condemn the deed, not the child."

>To keep democracy alive in the U. S., each home should be a democracy. "Our authority . . . must not be so severe that children learn to dislike all authority. . . . Our children must be allowed and encouraged to help make decisions that affect the whole family. Vacation plans, the division of household tasks, even decisions as to the way the family should spend its money are ways to develop democracy in the home."

>To cure children of lying, help them gain selfesteem, spare the rod, be patient, tell no lies (even "white" ones). "Thoroughgoing truthfulness comes hard and it generally comes late."