188宝金博页面版

Binging up Children 1 It is generally accepted that the experiences of the child in his first years largely determine his character and later personality. Every experience teaches the child something and the effects are cumulative. “upbringing” is normally used to refer to treatment and training of the child in school, which is usually distinguished by the term “education”. In a society such as ours, both parents and teachers are responsible for the opportunities provided for the development of the child, so that upbringing and education are interdependent. 2 The ideals and practices of child rearing vary from culture to culture. In general, the more rural the community, the more uniform are the customs of childhood upbringing. In more technologically developed societies, the period of childhood and adolescence tends to be extended over a long time, resulting in more opportunity for education and greater variety in character development. 3 Early upbringing in the home is naturally affected by the cultural pattern of the community and by the parents’ capabilities and their aims and depends not only on upbring and education but also on the innate abilities of the child. Wide differences of innate intelligence and temperament exist even in children of the same family. 4 Parents can ascertain what is normal in physical, mental and social development, by referring to some of the many books based on scientific knwledge in these areas, or, less reliably, since the sample is smaller, by comparing notes with friends and relatives who have children. 5 Intelligent parents, however, realized the particular setting of each family is unique, and there can be no rigid general rules. They use general information only as a guide in making decisions and solving problems. For example, they will need specific suggestions for problems such as speech defects or backwardness in learniing to walk or control of bodily functions. In more general sense, though, problems of upbringing are recognized to be problems of relationships within the individual family, the first necessity being a secure emotional background with parents who are united in their attitude to their children. 6 All parents have to solve the problems of freedom and disciplin. The younger the child, the more readily the mother gives in to his demands to avoid disappointing him. She knows that if his energies are not given an outlet, her child’s continuing development may be warped. An example of this is the young child’s need to play with mud and sand and water. A child must be allowed to enjoy this “messy” but tactle stage of discovery before he is ready to go on to the less physical pleasures of toys and books. Similarly, throughout life, each stage depends on the satisfactory completion of the one before.