The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-05-09
How can Parents best retain the comic
dence of their children.


In pursuing our remarks on this sub
jec! we observe in the Sd place, that pa
rents often destroy the confidence of their
children by using deceptive measures tc
secure obedience to their commands. -
Such course is fraught with immense
guilt on the part OF the paren. and mis-
Ghetto the child So evident are its wick
ness and evil tendencies, that one would
suppose no person of ordinary perception
would resort to SO ruinous an expedient.
Yet the practice Of deceiving children pre-
walls to an alarming extent even among
prolessed christians. Is the child i'll ! In
stead of being induced by proper motives
to take the medicine adapted to restore
health, it is persuaded TO swallow the nau-
seous dose by being assured that it does
not taste very bad, perhaps that it is posi-
Ivel y good-it is soon, however, unde-
ceived, & an irreparable blow, one which
it most keenly feels, is given to lis conf
dence--it is dealt too, at time when its
sensibiities are rendered doubly keen by
bodily distress, and it clings to the mater.
nal bosom with more than ordinary lena.
city. This is one Of many instances in
which children are made the victims Of
cruel and foolish deception. Is the child
afraid TO retire alone! Instead of being
shown the groundlessness of It's fears, ard
taught by experience that 1t is equally safe
amid the glare of day and the darkness
and silence of night, the parent or some
member of the family proiessedy retire
with it but no sooner are its eyes closed
in sumber than it is left alone, perhaps to
wake and discover with alarm and cha
grin the betrayal of its confidence.
INDUSTRIOUS are the expedients often re-
sorted to, 10 induce obedience to parental
authority. Instead of being taught to re-
we're aud obey as duty, the child is told
that if it be no; good, the black man will
come and carry it Off" or "rhe doctor will
come and cut of its ears" or some other
bugbear is presented, thus appealing 10 the
weaknesses and the very worst principles
of its nature instead of cuIlvating a spirit
OF fial fear and reverence. How old must
the child become before its keen, enqulr-
ing eye will discover the falsehood of
some of these expedents? How cruel to
abuse its confidence in the very being
Heaven has ordained as its protector and
guide in the perious path its inexperienc-
ed feet must tread Who can tell the
chilling pang olthe young heart when 1t
first detects the parent in fasehood p
Alas for the parent, alas for the child,
when strict integrity is sacrificed from any
whatever
Falsehood is frequently resotted TO in
answer 10 the inquiries which children
make in regard 10 subjects that cannot with
propriety be explained to them. This
should never be done, nor is there the least
necessity for resorling to such an expedi
ent. When inquiries are made, the true
answer to which cannot with propriety be
given, let the child be promptly told that
it is not OF suitable age to understand the
matter, and that lis inquiries mus, be de-
ferfed until some future period and, if ac-
customed to obey, it will cease to impor'
tune for present answer Every parent
should make it an invariable rule never
to tell child tina, which is not strictly
true on any account whatever. The false
hood may not be discovered for years, but
discovered i. will be, and will work inev-
liable mischief
Who shall venture 10 peril the best in
terests of an immortal mind by teaching it
practical lessons of deception & falsehood -;
thus bunting its moral sensibilIlies and
opening the flood gate 10 every SIM Shall
he who sands in the honored and endear-
ing relation of iather2 Shall she who
has borne and nurured it with mothers
lover Who shall build up again the bull
wark they have thus ruthIessly demolsh-
ed2 Who shall so gain the confidence of
the young mind as TO lead it in Virtues
shining way, if it be thus trfled with and
crushed by the parent 2-GoIden R@le.
Do THAT If YOU CAN After an ac-
ton between an English and Dutch feet,
news arrived that peace had been made
between the two countries. Where
upon, the sailors Of the two fleets began
to show off agility and strength, in a
spirit of rivalry. A Dutch sailor noun
ted to the cap of the mainmast of IA,
and stood upright on his head. No man,
for time, could be found on board tho
English fleet capable of performing this
feat. At last an old Jack tar, who never
stood on his head in his life, says "I'll
try it, if die for it." His shipmates
tried to change his resolution, but in vain.
Ele mounted to the cap of the mainmast
of his ship, turned upon his head, and
fell over He was fortunate enough to
catch by the rigging, and strange to say
came upon the deck alive. His COM
rades ran to pick him up, but he shook
them off, and hobbling to the side ofthe
vessel rnnred ont To the Dntchman=