The tragedies which have occurred in the U.S. in recent weeks, with children killing other children, have brought world wide attention to the subject of parenting. Probing questions stir in our minds: What could have prompted these shocking atrocities? To what extent are parents accountable for the sins of their children? Where was the mother during the child's formative years? What can parents do to make certain it does not happen to their children?

Something which has been overlooked until recently is the child's need to be talked to. To verify this I quote from an article in U.S. News and World Report, by the editor-in-chief, Mortimer Zuckerman: (Sent in by Jill Farmer.)

"Every day a newborn baby's brain is developing with phenomenal speed. Billions of nerve cells - neurons - are growing and specializing. By age 2 the number of synapses, or connections among the neurons, approaches adult levels, and by age 3 a child's brain has 1 quadrillion such connections. The synapses are the basic tools for processing within the brain. After this early spurt of rapid growth they are then selectively pruned, enabling the brain to form physical "maps" that allow communication and learning to take place. According to recent findings, the neuron links that are the keys to creativity and intelligence in later life are mainly laid down by the age of 3.

"Is inherited ability the main factor in establishing these connections? Apparently not. Interactions with an attentive adult - in most cases the mother - matter most. The sight, sound, touch, smell and especially the intense involvement through language and eye contact of the parent and child affect the number and sophistication of links within the brain. . . In their book Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experiences of Young American Children, professors Todd Risley and Betty Hart say that the number of words an infant hears each day may be the single most important predictor of later intelligence and economic and social success. . . This word play is so important that those left behind at age 2 may never catch up.

"These findings come when many subscribe to the notion that there is no harm in a mother's leaving her baby in someone else's care and returning to work. More than half of all mothers are back to work before their baby is 1. The working mother is a fundamental feature of this era. But what will parents do when they learn that absence in the first three years may have a significant effect on their baby's future. Most working parents know in their hearts that "quality time" is no substitute for quantity time - the time a child requires for emotional and it now seems, intellectual development."

Makes us think, doesn't it? All the cooing and baby talk mothers carry on with their infants is far more important than most of them realize, as is telling them stories, reading to them and just talking to them. The father, other adults and other children add to the input. This is one of the advantages of a large, closely knit family. Don't think you can depend on nannies, day care centers or baby sitters to fill this need. Not even a grandmother. No one can take the place of the mother in such a vital, daily requirement.

Talking to your children is filling just one of your child's needs. Consider other vital needs - his need for love, affection, daily care and understanding. To prepare him for a safe life ahead you must teach him obedience, respect for higher authority and a code for living that is solid and unchanging. You must mold his character, help him acquire self-esteem and teach him how to work and take responsibility. When you consider all of these requirements of being a good mother and preparing your child for a safe, productive life ahead, you can see that your career is cut out for you. Your place is in the home. You have one of the most important responsibilities in existence. No place in science, industry, education or the government can compare to the role of the mother in importance, in making the world a better place.

I advise you working mothers to quit your jobs. Come home from your computers, your filing cabinets and your telephones and do the work you are responsible for. Trust in God to help you solve your financial problems. If your husband is providing an income, cut expenses until his income provides for your needs. If you are a single mother, find work to do at home, even if you have to create that work or take in other children. There are ways to solve problems without deserting your posts at home.

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About Chat Groups and Pen Pals:

We will have to forgo chat groups for awhile. To explain: Chat groups are like having a big public meeting where everyone and anyone is invited. The problem is that it invites harassment. I have been advised that it takes a 24 hour surveyance service to weed out the hecklers. We may be able to do this a little later.