Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-08-13
Patience with the Older Children.
BY MARGARET L. SANGSTER.

A mother told me, not long since. that
she had unbounded patience with her
children so long as they were babies, but,
said she, "as they grow older, begin to
feel that l must pray constantly, lest l
show irritation and fretfulness toward
them"
Thinking of my friends experience. 1t
has seemed to me that it is one to which
many mothers might confess. We all
know how easy it is to bear with the help
lessness of infancy. The babes pitiful
cry at night, arouses us at once, no matter
how tired we may be; its wall of ptin
awakens our desire to alleviate the trouble,
and even Its fractiousness or its ill-temper,
stirs in US only pity. We take the great
est comfort in learning its little face by
heart. Every day that face becomes dearer
and sweeter. Its softness, its roundness,
its Aower-like tinting, the look of intelli-
gence dawning in the eyes, the first smile,
the first decisive turning motherward. how
utterly happy we are in them all. Every
mother is in some sense, n Madonna. AS
she sits brooding over her babe, she pom
ders many things in her heart, and what
ever may be her cares. her trials, OF her
anxieties, the blessedness of watching this
little unfolding life, still allied so closely
to her own, makes up her lack, and car
ries her through weary days triumphantly.
have seen this proved repeatedly, dur
ing these times of prolonged financial
pressure. Clouds and darkness had gath
cred around the horizon Of the household; !;
there were losses and crosses; the mort
gage was the last thought at night, and
the first in the morning. the carpets were
growing threadbare, the pictures were
sold, and the family fortunes were appar-
emily about to be totally wrecked. Then
came new baby. Very likely during the
prosperous years, when there was plenty
with which to take care of babies. they had
been denied, and now, people who looked
on the surface only, exclaimed, What a
pity. AS if those folks had not enough to
struggle with, but must have another
mouth to feed, another child to bring up!"
Yet, if you have known such case, you
have discovered that God could have sent
nothing 80 precious, nothing so consolatory
as that new treasure. 1t has helped father
and mother and the brothers and sisters,
rs nobody else could 1t has kept free and
flowing the fountain of domestic affection,
and has beguiled by its unconscious win
someness, many a heavy and respondent
hour. The mother, iu her inmost heart,
thinks they never could have got through
the storm and stress of the period, if they
had not had the baby.
"Anither BARN cam hame.
Hame to mither and me,
An its never may ye find less o. luve,
Than the luve ye brought wi ye."
AS the little one leaves infancy behind
it, and emerges into boy or girlhood, dew
eloping character, showing individuality
and assuming some share of personal re-
sponsibiity, its position in the household
is decidedly changed. A little while ago
it was the pet and plaything of everybody.
1t had such privileges rs are not accorded
to age and rank. AS Emerson says, II
could pull the hair of laureed heads. Now
it is quite otherwise. The child of ten is
always supposed to be at leisure. Nc
matter how employed. no one has any
hesitation in interrupting its pursuits. II
is: Johnny, run to the post Office. y
Jennie, go to my room after my slip.
pers, or my pencil, or my watch" The
little girl is treated with more courtesy
and regarded with more consideration
than the little boy, who is often addressed
MS d" Sir!" reproved roughly in the pres.
ence of others, and spoken of as though he
were necessarily a trying and aggravating
member of the family, person to be
borne with, but from whom nothing very
charming is to be expected. The wonder
is at,treated as boy are in many house
holds, they do grow up, on the whole, sc
courteous, so generous, and SO manly as
they do.
l plead for patience with children Of
either sex when they arrive at the awkward
age, the age when feet and hands begin
to look out for proportion, when angula"i
ties of disposition are pronounced, and
opinions are proclaimed with sharpness
and emphsis. The little girl rl,yesterday SC
yielding and so amiable, seems to have
changed her nature. She is exacting
cross, inharmonious, apt to be overtaken
by sunden storms of passion, or perhap.
is sullen and obstinate. Now, more than
at any previous time since her birth, she
is in need of the gentlest and the wisest
guardianship. Encourage her confidence
BE tender toward her. Do not let hel
strength of brain or body he unduly taxed
All will come out right after awhile, and
your daughter will be your hearts de.
light; but she will be the sooner so, if you
exercise patience towards her at this crisil
of her life. We are too forgetful. as well
as too Ignorant. of the processes by which
children are led onward to maturity, anc
sometimes we rebuke with bitterness,
where we should instead fold our ARM
about the wayward one land win penitenc,
by love.
The big clumsy lad, who upsets his tea,
cup, and steps on his sisters dress, anc
knocks his head against the door, wher
another person would have opened !
gracefully. needs mothers petting an
caressing far more than he needed 1t whel
be was babe. Then, he received kisse
without stint, and was the sovereign of th,