The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-03
Advice to Parents.
BY Carl. RYS(


Having reflected deeply for half an hour
upon the subject Of domestic discipline, I
feel like spa,ing few suggestions relative
Being bachelor, without children, my sug-
gestiops are likely to be as disinterested as
il ! had never seen child. "a;
According to my observation, the most
difficult time to bring up children is in the
morning. You cGn sometimes, though sell
dom, bring them up in the morning by yell
ing at them; but the effectiveness of this
process diminishes with its repetition, even
when not entirely neutralizcd by the chill
dren' s trick of stopping their ears with the
bedclothes. The only prompt, effective and
absolutely reliable method is to bring them
up by the hair. If your child has good,
healthy scalp. without any tendency to
premature badness, this method will work
with most gratifying efficiency. Try it
about once week, and you will be sur
prised to observe how its influence will eX-
tend through the six days interval. inspi.
ring your child with the liveliest possible
interest in the respondent pageantry OF
sunrise. To bring up darling child by
the hair requires the exercise of some en-
ergy and firmnesS; but no affectionate pa.
rent will hesitate at any little sacrifice OF
this kind for the welfare of his offspring.
Nothing can be more fatal to your disci.
pline than to allow your children to contra.
dict you. If you happen to be betrayed
into any misstatement or eXaggeration in
their presence don't permit them to correct
you. Right or wrong, you must obstinately
insist upon your own infallibility, and
promptly suppress every symptom Of pub.
lie epticism-with force, if need be. The
moment you permit them to doubt your
unerring wisdom, you will begin to forfeit
tn
ceit. There can he no sadder spectacle than a
parent surrounded by olive branches who
think they know more than he does. I
wildly remember how my father-who was
one of the most rigid and successful Of dis
ciplinarians-quelled the aspiring egotism
that prompted me to correct his careless
remark (when he was reckoning problem
in Shilllngs) that five times twelve was sixty
two and 4 half. " &c." said he climbing over
:. spectacles, and surveying me gTimly,
nus ink We know more'n yer father, hey
We th. 20 me !" His invitation was too
Come ere = declined, and for few eX-
pressing 70 10 or 5 l reposed in bitter hui
cruelatng mong HE 10, knee, with my neck
in the embrace of his lett =. al. h;s ,+ho-
I didn't see him demonstrn,. MS i 10 he
matical accuracy with the pal.i of 1nS 1
right hand on the largest patch VI .Ds
trowscrs, but felt that the old man w
right; and when, after completely efaai'
eating my faith in the multiplication taple, ,
he asked me how much five times t"eNe
was, insisted, with tears in my ears, that
it was sixty-two and hall. "Inats
right (" said be "Pll larn we to respect
yer father, if have to thrash We twelve
Times n dav. Now go'n water them bosses,
IN be lively, too" The old gentleman
didn't permit my respect for him to wlne
much until the inflammatory rheumatism
disabled him and even then he continued
to inspire me with awe, until was thor
oughly convinced that his disability was
permanent.
ing grace of childhood. When you tell
your child to do anything, and ne stops TO
inquire why, it is advisable to kindly but
firmly fetch him rap across the ear, ana
inform him that's why" He will soon
get in the way of starting, with charming
alacrity, at the word Of command.
One of the most inveterate and annoying
traits of children is inquisitiyeness. ityou
are incOnSiGerate enough to attempt to graf
ify their omnivorous curiosity, you may as
well prepare to abdicate, for you will be
non-plussed by their questions dozen
times day, and in week your Sagaclty
will be hopelessly compromised. An ave-
rage child is magazine of unanswerable
conupdrums. You can't expect children
to have much reverence for parent whose
ignorance they can expose twice out OF
three times trying. 1t Is well enough 10
answer an easy question now and then, just
to convince them that you can when you
choose but when they come at you with
poser, tell them "Oh, you never mind :"
or "shet up!" and then they will grow up
independent and self-reliant and restrained,
only by veneration, from splitting your
head open-to find out how it holds so
much Information without letting more OF
it out.
1t would be diticult-very diflicult-to
estimate the beneficial effect that would be
entailed upon their children il parents gen
orally would adopt the method here vaguely
Indicated.