The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-12-12
Helping Children to Lie.

That lying is bound up in the hearts of cnl-
drcn, it would not become Inc to deny; not GER
tainly, it is often united. Indeed, Children, there
are few who do not tell lies, the testimony OF
their parents to the contrary Notwithstanding.
But of two facts | am reasonably sure. First,
that children 5 falsehoOds are often as much the
parents fault as their own; and secondly, that
children do not lie as much as grown people DO,
and seem to do SO only from want OF skill and
long practice.
Lies are instruments of attack or defense, and
so may be classed as offensive or defensive. Chill
dren's lies are almost always dtenSire, and for
the most part, are employed in defending them
selves against parents, nurses, elder brothers and
sisters, and schoolmasters Being weak and help
less, cOnccalmcnt is, in their case, as in the AMI
NAL kingdom, almost the only means OF defense.
Childrcn's lies are, in multitudcs of instances,
mere attempts to hide Themselves from sharp cen
sure or sharp whipping.
Take n case from life. Master Harry is sent to
mill one day in winter, but with strict instruc-
tons not TO stop and skate. But the pond was
so inviting, the boys there were so merry, they so
Uersuasiycly coaxed him, that it was not in his
social little heart TO refuse. OF course ne skates
longer than he intended. On reaching home he
is questioned: "Why have you been 50 long,
l~larry?'' 'Oh, the grlst was not ground, and j
had to watt
did not you 90 on to the pond?''
Nc. sir, | didn't
Here is a pretty tangIe of lies! Tho old gen
tleman runs his hand into the bag, and finds the
meal stone cold. lie rides over the mill to in
quirc about matters, and finds that the grist had
been ground the day before. He rides home and
calls up the urchin, who knew that n grlst now
was To be ground that would he hot enough.
Here was disobedicncc first, then q lie, and next,
unon croSs-questionYian qa secondary lie, explana-
tory and deiensory OF the first. or course pun
ishment was earned and deserved; hut the boy
did not lie because he liked to. or because lac wa
Indifferent to the truth. lie was sobered h. fear
He shrank from punishment, and tried ~ hide
behind n lie. The refuge proved treacherous, IA
it ought TO have done.
But, now, is there no lesson to parents in this
thing? Shall they hastily place their children be
tween such unequal motives rs Conscience anC
Fear? The lower instinct in children is relatively
stronger than moral sentiment. Conscience Ii
weak and Impractical, while Fear is powerful
and, at times, literally irresistible.
The fear Of pain, the fear of shame, the fear OF
ridiculc, drive children to falsehOods. Those who
govern them might at least remember how it wa:
in their own cases, and so manage as to hell
conscience against fear, rather than by threats
and sternncss make the temptation irresistible.
Children are very delicate instruments. Then
minds are undeveloped, ungoverned, and a%cutely
sensitive. Men play upon them as IT they were
tough ne drums, and, like drums, made for beat
ing. They are to be helped more than blamed
One in sympathy with their little souls will lead
them along safely amid temptations to falsehood
where n rude and impetuous nature will plunge
them headlong into wrong.
The one element of real manhood, above al
others, is truth. \ child should not be left t
learn how IN be true. how to resist temptations