The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-09-15
NUMBER SO.
Parental Egotism.

There arc very few parents who under
stand that the element Of personal feeling
should be eliminated in the management Of
children. The parent Is judge, and the
judge must DO dispassonate, else all au
thOrity is weakened.
Let US see how it works. John breaks s.
vase. His mothers Is very much irritated
ut tie destruction of her favorite vase, and
Furnishes him, not according to his ain, but
according to her annoyance. She does not
even stop to inquire whether or not the
vase was broken by one Of those unavoid
able accidents which might have happened
to herself or to the most careful person
In thus furnishing her sou she has been
guilty of selfish injustice and Of cruelty.
She has weakened his respect and his az
lection for her, and has done much to de
stroy her authority. The child feels that
his mother is only avenging her own per
sonal grievances.
of an act morally bad. 1t may chance that
no evil consequences follow. The m other
is glad to avoid trouble, and she ets it
pass with little or no admonition. johnny
is sharp boy, and puts two ideas together
very quickly. at does not matter that
do wrong" he says, "if only don't bother
mamma. But I must take care not to
touch anything Of hers, else III catch it,
| 1t would be hard for family government to
do child q greater injury than to leave
just this impression on his mind. The
mother has succeeded in confounding all
moral distinctions in his mind, has weaken
ed all authority, and set the example OF
seltishness, cruelty, and injustice.
| Most parents attach too much import
ance to the manner in which their children
speak to them. Sensitive as to their own
dignity, they take umbrage Mt the disre-
spectful word that seems to infringe upon
| it, and they visit with their sharpcst indig
AZ Al. Il. - k.zA
dence in their child. They pursuade
themselves that they are dsinteredly
laboring for the good of the child. They
forget the large element of q sense of per
! sonal injury that enters into their feeling.
But the child does not fail to notice it, and
he in turn resents his own wrongs, in the
same spirit; but he certainly does not
feel more respect toward the parent who
has failed to exercise needful self-con-
troll. 1t were better that g parent should
show less feeling In regard to IN offence
against himself than it really deserves
His government should be above the sus-
picion Of personal resentments.
On q steam engine there Is q useful me-
chanical device called the governor"
which counteracts to = certain extent the
irregularities Of pressure and resistance,
| by letting on more steam az the speed de-
creases, and shutting it off when it in
creases. 1t would be An excellent thing
IL parental management could have some
such equalizer, which would prevent Its
making children the victims Of moods.
When a child comes to understand that
hot weather, indigestion, or businesss an
noyances increase the severity OF tte dis
cipline under which he lives, he ia apt to
! lose his respect for the discipline. IHe
wise parent studies always to eliminate tue
personal equation from the II Engagement oil
! the child.
For those parents who think that 1t is
their business to punish q chifd's wrong
doing as q personal offence against them
selves, we have no word. The hrst thing
to understand is that you are not to inhict
chastisement after your own pleasure.
but according to the example OF Coo, io'
the good of the ofYe Hearth and ho"if