OUR BABIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 August 1938, Page 8

OUR BABIES

Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” APPEAL TO MOTHERS.

All mothers who cherish their children and wish to' see them grow to healthy manhood and womanhood should consider seriously the amount s of sleep and rest their children get. r Are you building up the habit of sound, I unbroken sleep at night, and thus sell curing a stable nervous system, or are a you, for your own desires, depriving e your children of that priceless boon? - Many parents thoughtlessly do so, not t from lack of love of their children, but ■t .from lack of nowledge of the harm - that insufficient sleep and rest can do.

Ii The child’s mind is so eager, so receps five to new impressions, his body I- grows so rapidly that throughout his ■’ childhood parents should plan his daily e routine to provide ample sleep, ample *> healthy activity, ample work, and d ample play. r One is convinced that much of the s ill-health found among school children l > in New Zealand is due directly to insufficient sleep and over stimulation of the nervous system. Last week we wrote about the over stimulation of 1 young babies; today we refer to s the s toddler and the child up to 14 years i of age. , 3 Not only in New Zealand, but in f other countries as well, the number of ■ children and young adults who suffer

from mental and nervous illness is in- ■ creasing. Various causes have been • blamed, such as the examination sys- ■ tern, organised sports, the pace of mod- • ern life, as compared to 50 years ago, • motion pictures, etc. Parents cannot • put back the hands of .time, but it is • one of their greatest responsibilities to > see that, in spite of modern life and its particular problems, their children re--5 ceive what is their due in the matter ’ of such fundamentals as rest and sleep. ’ It may entail some sacrifice on their ! part for some years; they may never hear the shrill, excited voices of their ' children from the radio when they ' ought to be in bed; they may. never beam with pride over little Johnny and Mary in unsuitable clothes in a draughty, cold hall entertaining their friends with dancing, singing, etc., till 10.30 p.m.; but-they would have the ; satisfaction of knowing that they were . doing all in their power to build healthy bodies and minds for their children and their children’s children. Consider carefully the question of “going to the pictures.” Think about ; (1) the air they breathe for two to three hours at a time, stale, vitiated, heated air even in the best ventilated theatres; (2) the sudden change of air when leaving a theatre; (3) the effect of lights, noise, and. mental stimulation at bedtimes. Reijiember how difficult you yourself find it to sleep after excitement and strain; (4) the effect of

unsuitable subjects so stamped on the 5 mind and memory of impressionable ’ young children and adolescents. ’ As long ago as 1920 Sir Truby King wrote the following in reference to the effects of motion pictures on young children: “I am in - entire accord with ’ the idea of a 'strict regulation of the attendance of children at picture ; shows, regulation as to the nature and quality of the pictures that may be 1 presented to them, and regulation of the hours within which they may be allowed to attend. No one questions ! that the lcinematograph affords a most valuable means of education, instruction, and recreation, if used fairly and rationally. The presentation of films illustrating travel, scenery, science, industry, animal and vegetable life, sports, games, and every kind of show and pageant for all ages, but the depiction of a play or even what goes by the name of history may be utterly unfit for children. “The only way to protect the children is to keep them away from picture theatres as long as possible, or to have stringent regulations and special censorship, so as to ensure that no child shall be allowed to attend picture shows which are undesirable and unfit for their age, and that they will be prevented from attending at unsuitable times.” It is not lack of love for the children on the part of the parents that gives rise to physical and moral defects, but lack of knowledge of the causes. The child’s equilibrium is so easily upset and yet so easily maintained that every parent should do his and her utmost to safeguard them.