Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-30
Let Little Folks Enjoy Themselves.

If one has not a genius for amusing
little children, the power to do it seems
to come only after long experience. The
difficulty is, with most people, that they
attempt too much and labor too hard. A
very little thing serves to entertain a
child long time, and it requires more
care to learn to let a cOntented child
alone than to contrive new pleasures for
him.
Years ago | was in the room of maid
en- aunt with baby in her arms. AS l
walked to aRd fro about the room, the
little fellows eyes were stretched wide
open looking at the things which were
bright enough to attract his attention.
"You move too rapidly" said my aunt;
"my mother always said let babies look
till they are tired" The hint has been
of great service t. me since, and
not only I, but the babies 1 have cared for
since then, owe good deal to this piece
of advice. And, let me add, this is not
the only hopeful suggestion which have
received from maiden aunts.
Children are made increasingly restless
by a confusion of amusements Didn't
our great grandmothers' babies crow just
as cheerfully from the quilt on the floor
while the grown people pursued their or
able bodied woman to hold them all the
time? 1t is not part of my creed to
neglect the BARNS, but there may be such
a thing as a little wholesome neglect
Leaving out all the continual irritating
fussing, which is supposed to be neces-
sary to make children behave well, there
is an immense amount of energy wasted
in the simple effort to please them.
On the opposite side Of the desk at
which l am writing sits veneer
able friend of children, with lit.
tie grandchild on his knee. Moth.
ing could better show how to deal
with little fellow than report of the
conversation. But no one would believe
that such trifling could so delight the
child. The occupation of sharpening a
pencil has occupied a long time.
''See! I take my knife out of
my pocket. Shall l open this blade!
Oh, no! l will not open this blade.
Shall open the next blades Oh, no! !
will not open that. Turn over, knife; let
me look at you. Is there another blade!
Shall l open that?" And the examina-
ton of the knife interests the boy, OF
course. Then each cut of the wood is
made slowly, the shavings are carefully
put on piece of paper, and the paper is
folded up that no chips shall be dropped
on the carpet. All these preliminary ar
rangements occupied the child's atten.
ton. Then the simple picture of some
object before him is shown, and every
line compared slowly with the original
No matter how rude the copy, the child
is pleased
A fractions little fellow was left in my
care one hot afternoon last summer
Everybody in the house had given the
child up as "cross.' The heat was in
tense, and felt unable to exert myself.
My very Discrimination to do anything was
a blessing to the child. He sat on a chair
by my side with pair of scissors in his
hands, which he wanted to learn to use
l held piece Of brown paper for him to
snip, which he did for long three quar-
tiers of an hour, as joyous at every success
full closing of the scissors, and as merry
over his failures as ever a child could be
It was shockingly tiresome to me; but
dared not suggest change, lest it should
be for the worse; and after the tine was
past, and the busy little fellow clapped
his hands and said mice time,
"nice time,' and went pleasantly
to his blocks on the floor, I die
not regret the tedious moments 1
is temptation to stop as soor
as we ourselves weary of tht
shaking of the rattle, and the clap
ping of the hands, whether baby ha.
finished his contemplation or not. Older