LUCY IS A CHAMELEON PARENT

Recently she was interviewed about her new marriage to Gary Morton.

Notice her very shrewd appraisal of Gary’s parental psychology. 

“Gary” she began “now gives the children the kind of discipline they never had before. And they love it. The children really dig him! I can be strict— for about —  60 seconds. Then the children can wind me around their little fingers. 

“But you can really rely on the person who properly disciplines you because he is dependable. He is always the same way.“ 

Parents, Beware 

Parents please take a lesson from the animal trainer! He always rewards the right behavior and always penalizes the wrong. And he never permits exceptions to occur! Take note of that fact! For millions of parents arc inconsistent in their punishment and scoldings. Like Lucille Ball they may say “No” yet if the child wheedles and whines and coaxes they will soon relent and change that “No" into a “Yes.” 

A good parent does not say “No" unless necessary. But if it is really indicated then that “No” should remain a ‘‘No.’’ 

Chameleons are those little lizards that have the faculty of changing their color according to the hue of their background. Alas, many parents are “chameleon fathers and mothers” for they also change their tune if the child whines and coaxes. Occasionally, a wise parent may alter the rules if new data are introduced. But it is “bad” parents who usually produce bad children! And bad parents are generally the inconsistent or “chameleon” variety. 

So resolve here and now to follow these standard rules of smart child psychology: 

1) Be an “expressive” instead of a "repressive” parent. Give a child proper outlet! for his excess energy and encourage his probing mind which generates incessant questions. Remember leg action in outdoor games drains off his energy faster than seatwork or sitting games. So channel his activity constructively.

(2) Be consistent. Don’t encourage a child to tear old magazines or books to pieces and then punish him when he also mutilates a current magazine or book for a child below reading age doesn’t know the difference between "old” vs “new” magazines. So teach him to respect all printed matter.

(3) Pain is the major educator of a youngster so when it is necessary to punish him don’t smack him on the bottom which may be padded so heavily with sired results even with toddlers

diapers rubber pants and rompers or a snowsuit that he doesn’t even feel pain. Instead snap him with a finger or a flick of your pencil as on the back of the hand so he will fed some sharp pain. This doesn’t dislocate his spine with an adult smack, but gets the desired results even with toddlers Send for my 200-point “Tests for Good Parents” enclosing a long stamped return envelope plus 20 cents. Discuss them at PTA or Mothers’ Club Meetings.

George Washington Crane III (1901–95) was a psychologist and physician, best known as a conservative syndicated newspaper columnist (Worry Clinic, Test Your Horse Sense) for 60 years (he had previously written campaign speeches for Calvin Coolidge), and published at least three books. 

One of Crane’s long-standing philosophies theorized that the reason for marital conflict was a lack of sufficient quantities of "boudoir cheesecake,” (aka connubial bliss).