See the original published article, "Christmas Day Is Children's Day," in the Helen Keller Archive
Transcription
"Christmas Day is Children's Day"
Give Your Children Only The Thoughts That Shall Keep Their Lives Sweet, Sane And Strong
by Helen Keller
During the Christmas season the minds of parents are especially occupied with their children. Everything that will make them happy is planned. What lovelier sight can be imagined than the family gathered 'round the Christmas tree, the children's faces aglow with eager interest, their hands full of glittering treasures, their voices, like bells, filling the house with joyous music! In a very real sense Christmas Day is Children's Day.
I wonder whether, if parents gave more time to their children on other days, every day would not be fuller of interest and joy for them. Parents can do much to keep their boys and girls interested in their studies by being interested themselves.
I remember how my teacher used to stimulate my desire for knowledge by talking over every lesson as if she were a child herself. It was wonderful to have her work out a sum of arithmetic by my side, or trace in the sand the course of a river, placing big and little stones along its bank to represent cities and towns.
Such companionship of minds is of inestimable value to every child, but particularly to the child of slow mental processes. Left to plod along by himself, he becomes discouraged, especially when he sees other children getting ahead of him. His parents can obviate this difficulty, they can show him how to overcome his handicap and shake off the inhibitions that embarrass him. Often slowness has its advantages over that of a quick, impatient mind.
Busy parents need not sacrifice time for this purpose. The idea is for them to take a thoughtful interest in the endeavors of the backward child. When he comes home from school, let him see that you really want to know what he has been doing. Get him to talk about his studies and his teachers. Do not criticize him openly, and do not pretend interest you do not feel; for he will detect your insincerity and retire into his inferiority complex. But if he sees that you are listening to him sympathetically, he will gain confidence.
Keep in touch with what your children are studying. Ask them questions, not to examine them, but in a pleasant, interested way. Perhaps you have traveled, and can give them a lively description of the places mentioned in their geography lesson. Tell them what you know about the subjects they discuss. Look up words in the dictionary with them, show them how to use the encyclopedia and the atlas.
If you are genuinely interested in the information thus obtained, all the better for your children. They will sense your enthusiasm and talk more, and acquire valuable knowledge with delight. This will be a bond between yourselves and your children which will mean much to you in their advancement and in your understanding of their minds. It amazes me how parents think they can be an influence for good in their children's lives while indifferent to what concerns them, and while frittering away precious time at motion pictures, bridge and gossip parties.
If parents would only be companions to their children, what an enjoyable place the home would be!
Quite as harmful as parental indifference is the shallow, cynical talk children hear in their homes. To speak slightingly of the primary things of life -- of the sweet sacredness of family life, of love, of religion and of human nature is a serious offence against childhood. It chokes the seeds of good in the child's heart and distorts his sense of values. He grows up distrusting ideals, and affects skepticism about faith, hope and inspiration.
If you find your young people practicing a kind of topsy-turvy doubting of everything they should hold sacred, consider whether you may not be responsible. You may have lightly spoken blasphemies in their ears.
On this day when man becomes as a child, and so prepared to enter into the Kingdom of God, examine your thoughts, from which your heart speaketh, and give your children only the thoughts that shall keep their lives sweet, sane and strong.
