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Unit IV

Raising Children

(Chapters 12-15)

 

Childrearing should proceed according to the child's readiness in each realm: emotional, moti­vational, social, intellectual, and physical.  This unit shows that if children are to develop to the fullest, growth rates must be considered carefully and the environment planned accordingly.

 

 

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Illustrations

 

The concepts in Walden Two are often illustrated in daily life.  Below are students' illustrations of three concepts in this unit.  Supply additional examples yourself of these or other key concepts in this unit.

 

"Self-control" (96).  "In any fancy shop, especially a clothing store, my older sister knows no bounds.  She just goes wild.  A new fall shirt is on display and she just must have it.  It will go so well with her such-and-such sweater , a certain necklace, her shoes, or whatever.  And out comes her magic card-the plastic money which you never have, never seem to spend.

 

"The ads today all count on our need for instant gratification: 'You can have it all.' So people go out and spend a lot of time and a lot of money they don't really have for things they don't re­ally need.  I think people today, in their twenties particularly, could have used some early temp­tation training with soup or coins or whatever.  Give 'em lollipop lessons.  They need help to ignore the enticements of our massive credit-card society, surely temptation's 'trump card."'

 

Experimental question (103).  "A number of weeks ago, my husband and I did an experiment wherein we did not turn on our television set for 7 days.  The aim of the experiment was to an­swer this question: How would we spend our leisure time if we did not watch television?  And would we enjoy these television-less days?

 

"After the 7 days we had both completed several projects which had previously been put off be­cause 'there just aren't enough hours in the day.' We also read more and talked more to each other than during a t.v. filled week.

 

"As a result of this experiment we now enjoy several t.v.-less days per week.  We are also con­templating an experiment with certain foods and living without a pet."

 

Design a series of adversities (105).  "I never gave my mother credit for being particularly crea­tive or enlightened in child-rearing techniques.  As I reflect back though I can recollect a very good use of behavioral techniques.  Two swimming instructors had given up in their attempts to get me to put my face in the water.  It seemed as though I was a child who would never learn to swim.  Finally my mother decided that she would work with me.

 

"We went to the shallow end of the pool and she threw my favorite toy in the water.  It sank.  Without hesitation I retrieved the toy and eagerly returned it to her for another dunking.  She threw it in the water again but just a little further out.  I had to actually get my elbows wet.  This wasn't exactly comfortable but I was having too much fun to stop.  The next toss was in water deep enough that I had to actually get my shoulder wet.  The process was repeated until I was comfortable at each successive depth.  The next toss required that my neck and part of my check get wet and the game continued at that level.  The next toss was just deep enough that I had to place my entire face in the water.  Without instruction on 'breath-holding techniques' I plunged to the bottom, retrieved my toy and didn't realize that she had done in one hour what swimming instructors couldn't do in two previous weeks."