By Margaret Lowenfeld

In helping the child to understand, there are three points to bear in mind. A child comes into a world which is for his purposes peopled with three forces: first, the material Universe, all those things around him, those curious, odd, unaccountable objects that he has to cope with. Second, the people whom he meets, and particularly his own intimate environment. Finally, that which is nearly always left out—himself. Remember that the child knows nothing of himself when he comes into the world. If you get startled by the strange behaviour of your bad young boys and girls. I assure you the child is even more startled. There is nothing that is so confusing and perplexing to a small child as to find himself suddenly lying on the floor in temper tantrums. You can sometimes see the look of surprise, which comes over the children’s faces as those rages seize them. It is as much a surprise to them as to us. So that a child has from us three things to expect: that we will act as interpreters between himself and the material Universe, himself and ourselves, and himself and himself. In helping the child to understand, there are three points to bear in.