Litchfield enquirer., 1859-04-21
MANAGEMENT OF INFANTS.
.sll MORAL AND 1NrE1LgcrUAr rRaINlsc. :

IT,,
 to rear her child in sound bodily health her second is7to rear it in such 9 manner that it will grow up sweet, t,tempered and amiable, pos sessing good habits and. dispositions--all which
 is comprehended in the term moral training. It is of the greatest importance that she, or the nurse on whom the duty deyolyes, should attend to tlle necessary rules on this subject Let it be thoroughly understood that the
 human being, at the very dawn of intelligence,
 possesses various tendencies or desires, some
 requiring to beencouraged and rendered habit
 ual and others which, for his wneomfort and
 that of his fellow creatures, must be kept in
 sutJection. The latter, seems by far the most ready to manifest themselves. The infant will show a disposition to beat and rob his neigh Tor, will be indolent, gree dy, cruel and violent, before he will manifest any of tho better dispo- stions with the exception, perhaps, of an affsc- tioDateness towards those from those whom be is accustomed to receive benefits. aT Tie first business of education then is to check aud put under habitual subjection, all the former dispo- sitions, and to draw forth and put into habifu- al exercise all that are opposite, such as kiid- ness, justice, and selfdenial aEa sss1l Ta ias5F
 2 Parents who are fully impressed with these considerations, should take the greatest possi- ble care not to put the nursing and training of their children into the ha,ds of ignorant or ui- principled donestcs. One weeks misusage by these persons will rnin the bcst laid plans of ,mother-the mind of the infant will receive an injury, which not all the education of after years will be able to remedy. sa a-.f
 The following points ought to be universally attended to by nursing mothers and servants !: .,s Crying is usually the means employed bya child to get what he wants. Do not yield to this bad practice if you do, he will grow up wiiful and cnnning, and you will have inflicted an injury on his moral qualities. ea 3l
 By thesexercse of great patience and good temper, by kindness of maniIer, kind looks, and kind words, make the child kuow, hy repeated experiences, that he is not to obey every first itnpulse--and that selfcontrol, a thing which even an infant can comprehend, is necessary to his own comfort. .s,. e.s, [:s zs .....s,.sz . ss Whether tue defects of character in child be hereditary or acquired, they should be treat- ed with consideration, and every means short of severity adopted for their removal. Parents commit g. dreadful error when they attempt to govern their children by fear, by threats of punishment, blows, violent language, and angry gestures. q.,, .,ls.g vl!r7tsassgs4 y.sg
 Love, then, should be the impellng reason, the directing power of education Where love influences the parent, the children of 9 family will be actuated by the same spirit--a spirit subyersiys of ,selfshness. Dissimlar as all characters are, different as all intellects are, the great duty of life is the the promo tion of the welfare and happiness of onr fellow men. There are few errors, perhaps none, which do not affect the happiness of others as well as of ourselves ,; each individual who i'm proves himself, improves society and every mother who rears her child alright, aids the uni versal progftss towards excellence. 4'ssf.''S
 Mutual confidence should be a governing principle in the communion between parent and child. This cannot exist where the form
 CT acts only as a jndge and lawgiver, who ac-
 knowtedges no compassion, no sorrow, who can
 not weep. and hope with the offender The
 few words, 1 am sorry that you are augry," l" ]" try to be good, and Twill help you ? "wipe
 away your tears, and let me hear what vexes you," are more likely to overcome .error,, or turn away wrath, than stcrncommands or cold
 disapprobatiQtis;s for this treatment does not
 conceal shat efc is error, or disguise it's evils,
 while ftsa aiifers Totally from the compassiion which fehdles, ar coaxcs, and bribes child to soften; its violence or withdraw it's opposition. Nothing can be more beautiful than the con duct of . child reared under the influence of love. He enters among strangers unabashed
 and undsmaycd, ready to welcome and be well coned, seeking happiness, and prepared to find it in everything and with everybody so will. ing to be pleased, that every qualification,
 however trifing, is prized and enjoyed habit
 uated to cheerfnlness, yet so full of the syhpa-
 thy he has so largely enjoyed, that he does not
 lose sight of the comfort or sorrows of others there is no sefshness in his ejoyments j. the
 mind is active and energetic, mud the whole
 characters beaming with thintelligence and hap: pinessg sa s9 Hsst yffsf A3E9E 7f
 Reverse this picture, and see the child who
 has been governed by fear--a suspicious timid glance, an endeavor to escape observation, no spontaneous prattle, no words and actions pour ing out the unrestrained thoughts and feelings ;
 nothing truly enjoyed, because there is an un,. defined fear of doing or saying something which may provoke rebnke or if there be enjoy
 ments, they are received in silence, and in that solitude of heart which leads to sel6shness CanIor is a quality to be encouraged in child ren indeed it is natural to them their help.
 less dependent nature leads them to seek and !bestows confidence they have no reasons for
 concealment but such as fear induces (
 The greatest and most common error in the
 training of children is allowed to be irysgalor. isty ef beharior toauards then. U At one stic:e they are coaxed, petted and einduiged in every fancy, and at another they are scolded, abused and cruelty chastised. One moments mother will beseen fondling her children, and the next pouring out her wrath upon him. Impetuoas in temper, she will, for trifing fault, infic, personal punishment on her infant, and then moved by compassion or remorae isseize him uI in her arms, and cover him with caresses Al this is decidedly improper, and rainoas to tht