Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-11-05
Parents and Children.

THERE are few parents who fully
comprehend the amount Of influence
their example and spirit exert over their
children. The intuitions Of childhood
are wonderful, and parents rarely un-
derstnnd their power and influence in
the formation of character, which often
begins in a child long before the parent
in the least degree expects il. The babe
in its mothers arms is more or less af-
fected by the disposition and temper of
its parent and older members of the
family, and as it grows older the moral
tone and actual practical life manifested
in the household, affect IL very much
more than any amount of instruction or
impaired precept. The first manifesto
ton of reason in infancy is shown in the
child's attempts to initiate what it sees
done in its presence and so the moral ex-
ample that is set before children, and
the spirit and temper that parents par
take Of, are naturally initiated by them,
and they take their strongest impress
sions, and are very much more infu-
enced by what occurs in their presence
than any amount Of instruction or warn
ing directly impaired to themselves by
word of mouth. II little prattler is
taught to be gentle, loving and kind,
and then sees its parents quarrelsome,
proud, self-willed, and selfish, the child
very naturally feels that the instruction
is of little account, and so soon mani
tests the same characteristics that are
prominent in one or both Of its parents.
Children are great critics, and quick TO
note the weakness of their elders, and
readily observe any failure on the part
of parent to practice what the child is
taught to do and say. And so desire
to call the attention of thoughtless and
indiscreet parents and instructors to the
importance Of looking TO their conversa-
ton, tempers, and doings generally,
when in the presence of childhood, so
that no evil influence is unconsciously
exerted by them upon a young immor-
tai soul.
If parents or older brothers and sis
ters have differences and contentious let
them restrain themselves until child
hood is absent. If a mother or father
has an unkind word to say of neighbors,
or an adverse criticism to make upon
their dress, manner of living, business,
or any other remark not entirely Christ
like, let them at least wait until the
children are beyond hearing It is
natural and right for a child to look up
to and initiate its parent, and the Fifth
Commandment indicates clearly the inn
portance as well as the reward of honor
ing parents.
A parent who is fond of his child
naturally watches its development of
mind and character with great interest
and delight, but he should see to il that
he is not making the child vain and
proud-spirited by calling the FREQUENT
attention of friends to its attainments
and personal attractions when it is pres
ent. When the little one is to be COM
mended, let the parent see to it that
vanity and pride are not being engen-
dered or tostered; and so beauty of
form or feature should never be alluded
to by the parent in the child's presence,
and its attainments shoulds be praised
or rather commended generally in Sc
| cret, that is, with itself alone. But when
the parent makes adverse comparisons
/ in speaking of neighbors and their chill
dren, when those spoken of are absent,
and then when in their presence COM
mends the same persons who were
abused when absent, what a tendency
it creates to make child deceitful and
| given to undue hattery, SANDER or
| abuse! Parents who are anxious to
have their children grow up truthful,
honest and amiable, little think of what
they are doing when prevarication,
double-dealing or evil temper is mani
tested in their own lives and conduct,
and frequently under the notice of the
| child itself
| have been greatly interested in
watching the eountenance of a four-year-
old little girl, whose mother would fire.
| quently reprove it in Jest and the little
| one could read the mothers counte-
nance, or by intuition readily compre-
hend whether her mother was in Jest or
in earnest, when could see no differ
ence in her countenance, words or man
ner. Children are much less deceived
than their parents often think, and
| therefore parents should always en-
deavor to be candid, truthful, consistent
and kind in their treatment of children,
and in all that they say Or do in their
! presence.
Every little boy thinks it right to do
what his papa does, and every little girl
is anxious TO dress like and do Just as
mamma does; and so parents charac-
teristics and ways of looking at both the
present and the future life are generally
] III lllb lives VI lublI tllllOItns
| have noticed this fact in politics and
| in religion. The sons tendencies are TO
look at his fathers religious belief as
the only true method of salvation, and
to his fathers political party as the only
honest and true one, and rarely can he
see any virtue or goodness in any thing
that his father opposes; but, when It
comes to habits and appetites, notice
that, no matter how much the father OPP
poses the use of tobacco by his son, land |
have seen but rarely father who wanted
his son TO initiate his use of tobacco),
their example nearly always proves
stronger than precept, and the son does
as he sees the father do, and not as his
father advises and teaches. A mother
who lives an artificial life-whose idea
is to dress and make show of her per-
spnal beauty and dress-is generally re-
produced in the lives and conduct Of her
daughters. Let us remember that ex-
ample is more powerful than precept,
and that what we do influences our
children very much more than what we
say.-COr. N. T. Witness.
] eS
A Modern New York House.