Raise Your Child's IQ (Continued fi
His efforts to make himself less vulnerable and
less anxious can be seen in the clumsy efforts of
a two-year-old to tie his own shoelaces. He is
often insistent, pushing away the parent who
wants to do it for him. The more things he can
do for himself, the safer he feels. .
This continued striving to lessen anxiety by
mastering problems as they arise is the basis
of all learning. By the age of four or five, a child
finds that he can still further lesaen his depend
ence on his parents by winning approval of
children his own age. He does this by competing
with them in the mastery of problems in other
words, by learning. The five-year-old who can
climb highest in a tree or ride his tricycle
fastest or dress himself finds he likes himself
better and usually gets more approval.
In the process of mastering the problems that
arise in childhood, he gradually learns to be ob
servant and curious, to work alone without con
stant prodding and praise, to plan ahead, and to
acquire the self-confidence that will help him
master the more complex problems of school
and adult life. In short, he learns how to learn.
All children start out in life as risers. But in
many, the initial drive to independence is some
how frustrated. Instead of learning how to re
duce anxiety and find emotional comfort by
tackling problems, their experience teaches them
that it is safer to duck the problems and call
on someone else to solve them.
Lesson No. 1 to be learned from the Fels
study is: support your child in his own spon
taneous effort to do things for himself. But be
sure that they are within his limits. Pushing too
hard is as discouraging as overprotection.
IN A few homes studied by the Fels research
ers, children were handicapped by having re
sponsibilities thrust upon them before they were
ready to handle them. In one family the deci
sions were theoretically determined by the group.
At a tender age, the children were given an
equal voice in family councils. These children
developed great anxiety along with considerable
hostility toward their parents.
Farm children, who were given chores and re
sponsibilities in accordance with their develop
ing abilities, showed the most consistent growth
in self-reliance and mastery, and most went on
to achieve success 'in careers. The farm families
treated their offspring not as adults but as
children who would someday become adults.
"Just love your child and everything will be
all right," parents are sometimes told. The Fels
study shows that the solution isn't that simple.
There are two main ways of loving a child. One
is as an extension of one's self. The child can
only please the parent by doing as the parent
wishes or letting the parent act for or through
him. This promotes dependency.
The other way of loving a child is as an indi
vidual in his own right. The child loved in this
way finds that he can best please his parents
by using his abilities. While protected from dan
ger and rash behavior, he is allowed much free
dom of movement and initiative. He can em
bark on projects of his own without too much in
sistence on adult standards of excellence or use
fulness or "finishing what you start."
So do you want to raise your child's IQ? Then
encourage your child's strivings for greater in
dependence and self-sufficiency. Recognize and
respect his growing ability to function inde
pendently of you and to master situations on
his own. This attitude will not only raise his in
tellectual ability but will give him the basis of
a sound personality and good mental health.
BRINGING UP BABY HINTS COLLECTED BY MRS. DAN GERBER, MOTHER OF FIVE
Home is where the heart is happy
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Your baby's playpen is his own little
"home within a home." If it's kept a
happy haven he'll find contentment (not
resentment) there. Happifying hints:
If you change the location of the
playpen from time to time, baby
will enjoy the change of scenery.
Frequent smiling visits from you
make pen time a social time.
The pen should never be used as
a punishment for a minor misdeed
of an older tot. Most acceptable
playpen times are those when baby's
- on his best behavior.
A happy home is equipped with things
to look at, listen to and do. Bright
objects tied to pen, or Gerber Swiss
Bells strung across pen, will enchant
your baby. A daily change of
do-something toys will keep an
extra-active baby busy.
P.S. A well-timed snack will often
forestall fussing. Gerber Juices are
good for this. An older tyke will like
Gerber Cookies with his juice.
Table talk. Your baby's in for a double
dividend in pleasure and nourishment
with Gerber Oatmeal or Mixed Cereal
with Applesauce and Bananas. First,
the flavors are subtly lip-smacking . . .
the texture marvelously moist and
smooth. Second, iron and important
B-vitamins contribute to the nutritional
goodness of these palatable cereal
surprises in jars. Serve "as is" or top
with a bit of milk. There will probably
be summons for seconds.
Enough's enough. Some babies, like
the take-it-easy type, may be content
to put in regular playpen time even
after they toddle. Inquisitive babies
often rebel at the pen as soon as they
creep. Important thing to remember
is that when dissatisfaction at being
cooped up becomes a constant thing,
it's not wise to keep your darling
confined for prolonged periods.
Tasteful topics. Most people like fruit,
and babies are no exception. Gerber
Strained and Junior Fruits are so
downright delicious, they've won more
popularity contests than you can
imagine. There's a good reason why.
It's because they're flash-cooked to
preserve Mother Nature's sun-kissed
flavor-goodness and lively colors.
Great when served straight. Doubly
appealing when used as a topping for
Gerber Vanilla Custard Pudding.
For your baby's welt-being: Gerber
prepares over 100 baby foods-infant
formulas, cereals, strained and junior
foods-to meet your baby's nutritional
needs. We're proud to say:
"Babies are our business
. . . our only business I
I Gerber
I CEREALS
QERBER BABY FOODS
HOX72, FREMONT. MICH.