How Can We Help the Children Best

I have a friend who is a teacher in the 5th grade. Her son who is five years old is in nursery in the same school.   Every end of third semester the students who have performed well graduate to the next grade. Those with poor performances are either forced to remain in the same grade, or the parents come to see the administration for consideration.

My friend's son, knowing the exam was the next day, said to his mum, "Mum, as you are a teacher I know you know the questions. Now I want you to write me all the answers, so that when I go to the exam I will copy them – and then I will graduate to grade one!"

His mum laughed and told him, "Son, I don't set your exam.  So I really don't know how it will be."  Her son cried and tried to hold his mum's hand tightly, giving her the pencil to note down the answers. Later when the boy seemed a bother in his persistent desire, his mum thought, how can I help him best?  So she said, "Son come with your books ". He quickly ran to collect them from the bag, thinking his mum had given in to his idea.  But instead, they just went through the books, studying together. After that the Mum said, "If you can recall all that we have learned, then panic not about your exam. It will be set from all that we have read.”

The boy became more confident and was happier with his Mum. He is now in Ist grade, and I am sure he is brightening in his studies.

As I focused on this, I really felt nothing can thwart our giving good to the receptive young heart. Who is more receptive than a child?  Our Leader called  children "the bulwarks of freedom, the cement of society, the hope of the race!"  (Pul.9:1). 

When we desire to work so clearly and vigorously in Christian Science, then we bear witness to progress in our lives - just like the Mum and her son.