Children from Britain

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 70, 25 October 1940, Page 7

Children from Britain

OUR first responsibility will be to help these children in every way possible. through the difficult time of getting used to a new life and to new ways. It is well to remember that a child naturally clings to everything that means home to him, and it is not wise for us to try to change his habits all at once. For instance, country people in England who took children evacuated from the big towns just after the outbreak of war found that the children would not at first eat the good country food provided for them. They wanted the food they had been used to eating at home. Children will naturally try.to hold on to all that means home to them. So even if a child’s ways are not your ways, it is wise not to try to change them all at once, but rather to be very, very patient and let him grow used to the new life gradually. One of the problems that is sure to crop up will be how best to keep these.children mindful and proud of the homes they have left. There is probably no need to remind you that these children, particularly the older ones, will be constantly anxious about their parents in Britain. It will be part of our job to reassure them and ease the strain. The best way of doing this is to keep quite calm and cheerful ourselves and at least give the children a serene and unworried home life while they are here. Another of our responsibilities is towards the parents of the children. Wé shall need to remind ourselves sometimes that the parents in Britain will want the same children back after the war. They won’t want their children changed. We shall have to remember always that the child belongs not to us but to a home in Britain and we are only temporary guardians. It is part of our job to keep the child in touch with his parents, and we can do this. by writing to them and telling them all the details of his daily life-you know all the thousand and one things parents like to hear about. Sending occasional photographs and snaps would be a great kindness. We must never forget our responsibility to keep the child linked to his real home in Britain to which he will have to return after the

war.

(Mrs.

Peter

Fraser

"British Children,"

National Stations, October 14),