The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-05-12
Encourage the Children.

Encourage the Children.
Editors Vaaydnaan
want to have little talk with mothers
about their children; the little folks who
sooner than we think will be filling our places
and doing our unfinished work in the worlC
of labor.
we all know that many child has dragged
through its schooldays learning very little
seeming to care even less, and all because
there. was no one to look out the particular
eanings OF the child's mind, and encourage
those instead OF trying to cram the heaG
with what was all Greek to the little despond
ing one.
| would impress all parents with the neces
sity of their manifesting interest in the work
their children are doing, and the plays and
pastimes, too. Show them you care how they
spend their time convince them that you are
i panied when they do not do right, and are
\ happy when they do. Go further than this
show them that you lone them. When they
were small, climbing about you, demanding
| your constant care, you used to fondle and ca
ress them, showing them in a thousand ways
that your heart was bubbling over with affec-
ton for them. Do you ever clasp that roll
| licking, romping boy, almost as tall you are,
close in your arms, and looking into his bright
young face, tell him you love him, and depend
upon him to make all your life full of Joy ? Do
|
you kiss his lips and bid him keep them free
from stains of unclean words, and from the
peiouiing TOBACCO, because mother VIII not
loFe them SO II they are not kept pure! DO
you look INTO MS SHINING eyes and beg HIM
never TO let falsehood or deceit cloud them so
they cannot look straight and honestly into
yours! DO you remind him that it will make
your heart heavy with pam II he wanders into
the by-paths of sin ? Do you tell him your
love for him is as broad and deem as yotlr very
HE, enfoldlng him about, and pray him to re-
member how he stabs that love when he yields
TO temptation
AND that little daughter. Have you kept
her so sheltered in your strong, warm love
that She feels that mother is her best friend?
Have you manifested so much interest in her
little LIE that she comes freely to you, pour
ing all her childish condolences into your ear?
Ii so, be sure that daughter will never bring
you sorrow. Ii mothers will only SO win to
themselves their daughters: If they will estab-
llsh and maintain with them a feeling OF en-
tlre confidence, OF absolute trust, they may
shape their lives as they desire.
100 many mothers lose the confidence OF
thelr children by practlclng some petty deceit,
Which the sharp little brain is quick to discov-
er' ana which IS never forgotten; nor is it slow
10 follow the example set before It,. Don't tell
your child white lie" and by-and-by punish
- J
your own childhood; and let the little ones
trusted to your care, be saved from every
Stumbling block which held you back. Above
all, show them that you love them. Do not
say you have not time, that they must know
it when you slave yourself to death to make
them comfortable Take time, my friend. Let
some of the numerous stitches 90 vour child
can far better go less daintily dressed than
that it's heart should grow numb with bunger
for some manifestation of your love. Nothing
you can do will bring so much content into
your own life You want your children to he
christians; you pray for it; YOU expect if some
time. Then keep your child's heart warm and
loving; keep it so full of tenderness and af
lection that it will have no room for evil toe
dwell therein If God is love, will not such
an heart 90 out to Him more ouicklv with
more gladness, than one which hardly under
stands what love is? Their little Ae11ts must
be ted and warmed, and educated. teach them
to love one another and to manifest their aft
lection
Sitting one day with mother T remarked
upon the unusual manner in which in her fou,
children clustered about her. and the harmony
which prevailed among them. Smiling she
replied: 81 have tried to teach NV little cbil.
dren that if they wished to be hannv thew mist
get the most out of each day as il GOES NV
have always taught them that their trnest host
friends are here in their home. / have also
shown them, every day, that love them and
am never too busy to stop moment to rive
them kiss oil caress. Following nv ex-
ample, they are affectionate Win eueh other
and though they sometimes quarrel they are
learning that they cannot be happy until they
have made up" My only punishment has
been to refuse to kiss them, and nothing breaks
their hearts SO quickly"
Wondering how this woman. whose exne
rience IN life had been very limited, could have
acquired such wisdom, | made some further in
9urles Sa d she: "On certain day of my
life stood by the bedside of my mother, who
lay very i'll. Although always solicitious for
her children s welfare and comfort, there was
never any outward manifestation of affection,
and we always repressed our feelings no mat
tel how they cried out for expression.
stood there on th winter morning, with
mittens aud hood on, ready for school, but
dreading to go. yelling up strong and fore