LESSONS FROM A GORILLA POND

LESSONS FROM A GORILLA POND Undermining another's confidence is to kill their will, is to dissipate their energy. Slowly or suddenly either extreme may come about, whether by under-exposure or by over-exposure . Great care must be shown, especially in the rearing of small children, to guard against the premature deracination of their self-confidence by either extreme. By the same token, their parents or guardians, through appropriate training and discipline, must be certain that they have already taken adequate care to assure that their children do "mind" them! "Minding" means to obey simple commands in public places and at home. This essential form of home-training will protect their small children from themselves and the their public, itself, from childish, untoward displays of some exalted "god-complex," in kids, which later produces disproportionate infantile irrationality leading to a tragedy. The recent report of the 4-year old child who crawled into, then fell 10-feet into a wading pool of the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo is a great example of the too-premature god-complex on display. Which extreme, explained above, was evinced by this boy, 4, in this child's earlier upbringing , I don't know. But, this much I do know: Something was amiss. Someone was remiss in the rearing this child. Discipline is a vital part of rearing , a critical part, being a form of love. Without early discipline and abiding watchfulness, one may find one's child shooting you with your own gun, or wading in the gorilla pond!