WHEN BABY FIRST WALKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23094, 20 July 1938, Page 4

WHEN BABY FIRST WALKS

LIMITED FREEDOM VALUABLE! '—— - ' ;•! SCOPE FOR SELF-RELIANCE "Now ho is walking," said Mildred of her one-year-old son, "the dangers he can meet aro increasing a hundredfold. I simply assume that he has no sense at all and spend my days seeing that he comes to no harm. Yet I am wondering whether I shouldn't let hihi take a few knocks so that he will learn how to look after himself." Many parents ask themselves this question when baby reaches the age of locomotion. The little feet are so eager to explore that it seems cruel to restrain them, yet one dare not risk thexn running into danger. One feels that it is necessary that the child should learn to understand danger and to respect it. He cannot go through life wrapped in cotton wool or provided with a constant bodyguard, and reason demands that he learn through experience. On the other hand, there can be no compromise about the responsibilities of parents at this time. The solution of the problems lies in attaining some balance of outlook on the matter. The growing child must find his experience, and the mother, while seeing that ho possesses the freedom to gain it, must also be prepared for ceaseless vigilance and unremitting care to ensure that his experiments have no fatal results. In the first place, the environment of the very young should possess no feature that is a source of peril—no precipices, no deep water, no open fire, or unguarded stairs. Moreover, watch must be kept for scissors, knives and other lethal weapons that may attract the young adventurer. The eager climber must lie guarded from falling, little heads shielded from sharp corners and exploring hands from electric light leads aud kettles of boiling water. As soon as the toddler begins to have confidence in his power to move himself along, however, he can begin to learn, under supervision, to negotiate steps and to climb over simple obstacles. The inevitable knocks and spills that ho will reccivo. will be sufficient to teach him care, while the fact that he succeeds without help will give him added, confidence and a sense of independence. A good scheme to help him to learn the necessary muscular control ami balance for moving with safety 011 heights and 011 non-stationary objects is to rig up a simple gymnasium. A ladder can be made from the outgrown play pen —or a couple of inverted kitchen chairs will do. Later a simple swing and crossbar should be made.

in these ways tlio child is prepared to meet the situation of danger should it. through unforeseen circumstances, arise. He will be able to negotiate stairs and walk on heights with a full understanding of the results of carelessness and his experience will be his safeguard.