The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-09-11
RAISING CHILDREN.

IVA ICI NV NIiibb'hA''
EDIroRs SOUTHERN CuLrIvAroR.-ln your Ju-
ly number, sec request, by the editor of the
Country Gentleman for some opinion as to the
best mode of raising children. | feel the i'm
portance of such an article so fully, that con
not refrain from intruding my opinion on the
subject a subject of more Importance than all
the balance that has been written upon, as
conceive. The little space allotted in your
journal, will not permit me to do the subject
justice but will give you a few hints.
In the first place, all children should be made
obedient to some instructor (parents, of course,
if living, and if dead, to those who have the
care of them) Many will say in reply to this,
that some children cannot be made to mind any
one This is untrue All sane children can be
made to obey and when they do not my word
for it, the parent is in fault The plan is, do
not scold or whip them for thing you permit
them to do and thing you do not intend
them to do(? BE positive at the start, and
do not permit them to dissuadc you from your
purpose. BE firm as often as the third time,
and after that you will have no more trouble
upon that point and so with all your orders.
With bad boys, it takes about three COOL
whppings to break them of n bad habit, with
close attention all the while / am strong
advocate for the rod Many good children
hcvc been raised without it, but they had the
constant care Of some kind parent and some
are much better by nature than Others had
sooner have a boy little spirited, or, by ma
turc, wild and mischcvous than to have one
50 very good as to be good for nothing. When
they both grow up and mature, with proper
training, the wild boy will have the most cncr-
gy, succeed better, and will impress the world
with his name, and will be better calculated TO
control mon and things than the other 1t is
also very important to teach children the adj
vantages and disadvantages of habit It is
that that will stamp, indellibly, the character
and success Of every man. A good set Of hab
its once formed, and hoy is safe Teach il
to him by prcccpt and example, and then inform
him who has succeeded and who has failed for
the want Of it,
am 50 strong an advocate for habit, that
have almost come to the conclusion that any
man may become q Christian by it, and no man
is 4 stronger advocate for the Christian reIi-
gion than am. Some Of my reasons are the
following the more We do anything, the more
fond we become Of it thus, the great import
ance of contracting the right kind Of habits.
Let me here give you an example. Girard,
as you all know was very poor, and had to
make considerable eXcrtlons to get something
to eat after he had obtained enough TO cat
he found It not so hard task as lie supposed
Then he set about to clothe himself; he soon
succeeded at that Then he had enough TO
live upon for the present; but, while doing this
he contracted n habit Of making and was mn
happy unless he kept up the habit So on he
went to fame and fortune died possessed of
mnny millions, and left shining example to
all poor boys-showing them what poor boys
may do
1t is so IN all the avocations Of life, and no
man can arrive at any distinction of any vaue
without close application, and with close appli-
cation any boy can make himself almost any
thing he chooses to be.
Further No man who grew up in disobc.
dience to his parents ever made good son, or
abiding citizen, | will venture the assertion.
that ninc.tenths of the inmates of the various
penltcntarlcs are filled with men who were dis
obedent children, who were permitted to have
their own way in their youth. Hence, what
mothers usually consider IL kindness to their
children, is generally their greatest curse All
children should be made to mind their parents
when young, and when they grow to years of
maturity they will love to obey them and all
of these kind Of men, whom it has been my lot
to know, are good citizens. A disobcdient
son makes "A disobedent citizen, and is very
seldom willing to obey the laws Of his country.
Manual labor is almost indispensable to boy.
lie should be kept at it, until he has formed
the habit then he can quit off, if his means will
justify. 10 know when he has formed the hab-
1t can be told by his becoming fond of it, or
ceasing to regard the toll of labor.
"A Il boys thus raised will retain their fortunes
and will make business and useful men, re.
fran from giving my own history and expert.
ence, as might seem to manifest too much ego.
tlsm. A SUBSCRIBER.