Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-02-23
Duty Of Parents to their Children-No. Q

Dear Spectator Mot very long since, l
sent you lew hasty written lines under the
above heading, and knowing that you are
hailed with JOY and read with delight by scores
OF the most intelligent ladies' and gentlemen of
our country, therefore, [ have concluded to
send you a tew more lines, hoping that some
parent may be caused thereby to direct his at
tentlon more carefully to the raising OF his
children: .saa 3a.5l
Il do not pretend to claim that am capable
of doing this important subject justice, but am
actuated by the thought, that, while what l.
say may be deficient In more than one point,
still, 1t may make, In some degree at least, the
desired impression. 1t is my purpose to notice
In this short epistle, the neglect OF the duty
which parents, as such, owe to their children,
and the consequences of such neglect
That parents do, as general thing, neglect
this Important duty, l suppose no Intelligent
person will pretend to deny. 1t Is my honest
belief that almost eUery crime, be 1t OF what's
ever sort it may BIZ, Is chargeabIe, either direct
ly or indirectly, to the parent. Of the perpetra
tor thereof; aud if this be true, the position
of a parent must be a responsible one And
in proof Of the above assertion, let Us examine
some few of the worst characters among U.S.
Take first the liar. Well, why is it that he is
tsur, instead Of truthful person? 1t is not
because he was born liar, nor is it because he
at first, liked he, better than he did the truth ;
but it is because he has gotten into the habit
of lying, and he got Into this deplerabe habit
by and through the neglect OF his parent, upon
whom he was dependent Tor all the necessary
INSTRUCTION, and upon whom he had strong
lndisputabIe claim. Aud often the parent not
only fails to warn aud admonish his child
against telling that which is not true, but ac>
tualy teaches Kim, in one way or another, to
Ie Parents frequently teach their children to
tell stories, without ever thinking of it. Often
it happens that the little child, III his playful
mooa, torgetfu OF all but his present pleasure
commits some little offence ut offence 1t should
be called, y say for instance, he breaks some OF
the tableware-he fears lest it will cause him
to he punished, still he dlsllkes to tell false
hood, aud with his little tender heart tfover-
whelmed with grief, he resolves to go and tell
the houest tluth about the whole matter, and
as he approaches his parent, half afraid, his
resolution almost fails however, he dscloses it.
And what is the result? Why the first thing
IS something like this: ''You little wretch YOU
what did YOU do it for?" or, III settle with
you for that, SIR" And although it was pure>
| ly an accident, and could not have been avoided
by the innocent little creature, it his life had
| depended upon it, yet, he gets severe scod
| ing, or a whipping, or perhaps, BOTH But
| says the parent, III whip you and make you
| know better the next time Poor encourage
ment. methinks, to induce him to tell the truth
| the next time, at least, under similar circum
stances. But If the parent would take him up
on his knee, and tell him why and wherein it
is wrong, and give him simple and plain in
struction, the effect produced would be quite
different. And it is often the case that the
child commits an offence knowingly and nten
| tionaIIy. and he may receive punishment and
4 abuse at the hand OF his parent, but rarely gets
anv sound good advice How did parents ever
pet into the habit of raising their dear little
Poor little benighttd ones! it makes my
heart bleed. as it were, with sorrow and pity,
to think how you are neglected, and how you
will grow up in vice and wickedness
| Agair., take the Druukard-ask him how he
got into that awful habit, and ten to one, if he
don I say PA taught me. He used to give
me the sugar from the bottom OF the tumbler,
| tin got SO that liked the taste-and then he
used to drink and get drunk, and that is the
way got to drinking.
Now. who is responsible for this? Certain
! ly not the child.
The forming Of the manners and habits OF
children, is almost entirely IN the hands of the
! parent. If he will only commence the work in
/ due time: for the child has undylng confidence
4 in whar his father or mother tells him, and
am uot surprised at this, tor he looks to father
| and mother as his natural instructors and pro-
| ,ectors A child has but little will or inclina.
tion of his own. but will, more o. less, yield to
and obev The wishes ard commands of his
/ father or mother, especially, when they are
/ given in a proper and afectionate manner. But
parents too often depend upon force and coer-
/ ccion with their children, instead of persuasion
| and reason. | have great faith In the workings
| of the couscience, even of child. 1t Is one
of the best guides, if properly followed, which
our blessed Lord has given US and although
the little child may not understand as much
alb ut it IS others, yet he has some knowled. {
of it. at least. But the coarse Drawing father
or mother will have coarse, l-natured, quar-
relsome children. The father and mother
mould and fashion the manners and habits OF
their children. Then how careful they should
be about every word they speak, and every act
they perform in the presence OF their dear lit
tie ones lest they make some bad impression
upon their mlnd. ,
I Father, mother, let me tell you, that the
/ consequences Of this neglect to thy angel>like
little child, may cause thee, some day, to folio"
HIM to the pubic jail, or to some place worse
And what is still worse, God, the Great ano
Just Judge, will hold you responsible at the
great day of reckoning
/ You may nloylde him with all the necessary
clolhing-you may labor necessarily for fooe
for him, if he is i'll, you may rise from YOU
!. pillow at the midnight hour and hasten for tht
| Doctor, or spend long and wearisome nights o