Connecticut western news., 1882-02-22
THE CHILDREN.
Too Much Repression and Fault
 finding on the Part of Parents.

Life for some children says Mary
 Mayne in the Christian Union is one
 perpetual "don't.''
 Our sympathies were recently enlisted
 for Freddie, little fellow of five, who
 had been kept within doors during a
 long storm. His mother, a gentle
 woman, sat quietly sewing, as she chat
 ted with friend. "Don't do that,
 Freddie" she said, as the obild's whip
 handle beat Ii sht tattoo on the carpet.
 The whip dropped. A block castle rose and fell, with a crash. Don't make
 nt ise, Freddie" The boy turned to
 the window, the restless fingers mixing
 vague pictures on the damp pane.
 "Don't mark the window pane, Fred | die," lnterposed the mother; and,
 "Dont go into the hall, ," she added, as
 he opened the door to esoApe. The
 "don'ts' continued at brief intervals.
 At length the sm Ill m ID, sea ing himse1f
 with pathetic ally resigned air, r. maiaed
 perfectly still for about minute. Then
 with long drawn sigh, he asked:
 l" Mamma, is there anything that can
 do?'
 | Sometimes "don't" seems a mere me-
 cha, icl utterance, uuheeded by the
 chil l, uuenfo,c sd by the parent. "Don't
 do that, my dear; ;" and the little girl,
 tossing over the fine eDgrasings on
 friends talls, pauses an instant. The
 m other goes on talking wi h her fiiend,
 the child resumes her occupation, and
 no notice is taken of it, except, after
 awhile, the prohibition is carelessly re-
 peated, only to be ignored. Af,rgetful
 mother makes forgetful child. Author
 ity is weakened by reiterated com
 m ands.
 Too often the " don 'ts" are undeserv-
 edly sharp and short. Activity is the normal state of every healthy child; and half the reproofs he receives are really he 6 use he has no sufficient vent for his overAowing vitality. Excessive re- : straint irritates, and continual watching ? worries child His training must be } efficient; but it should not so pursue hi: . minutest acts as to keep him in constant fear and fret, or lead him to depend up l on his mothers "don't" as guide. ei Broader instruction is needed; and 6
 wide distinction should be made be- B tween thoughtful care and harassioe . watchfulnesa.
 s Let the children learn by experience J. in the loving atmosphere of home with | out fear of harsh criticism or fault find @ ing. Home is the place for experimen 6 and failure as well as f,r success, fo T sympathy and encouragement quite a s much as for discipline. Guide thei 1T unsteady feet, but sometimes let then
 20 alone, even though they may fall l Then pick up the little stumblers ; bu u beware of blaming them, or laughing a 1T their childish mistakes. A thoughtles r. laugh may rankle in the heart of sen |. sitive child for months-may never b l. wholly forgotten. ). Parents should carefully distinguisl Ie between willful disobedience and acci d dents, or faults resulting from activity J. ignorance, and natural desire for in > vestigation.
 is Little four-year-od Harry while play " ing in the yard one summer day wa
 stung by bee. A couple of month
 afterward, noticing at breakfast the us
 of mustard by the family, he asked fo 10 some.
 a. sYou would not like it." said hi 'n mother, never thinking that such res T. son seldom satisfies ohild.
 le "Yes, I shall, replied Harry; "Jame as Gan elder brother) l'kes 1t" at "Oh, no you would not like it.'' al But the boy persisted that he shoul le like it. So bis mother, wisely or LII as wisely, put some mustard upon h of plate, intending to let him try littl ne in the usual way. But as she turned D. replace the mustard-pot in the caste c. Harry put the whole quantity into h to mouth without bit of anything els, It Half frightened, the mother saw hi Id btavely struggling to master the pungel ns mouthful. Firm as rock he sat, winl 'f. ing desperately, as big tears gathered m his eyes, but never uttering sound, ar be resolutely swallowing the whole of 1t. he A few minutes afterward the little fe at low gravely propounded to the old on brother the following question: "Jame ed which had you rather do, eat all of tha lat indicating the mustard-pot with b sw hand-"or have bumble-bee sting ye he in the eyea"
 ng In Harry's mind mustard has ev rs. since been associated with the sting K bee; and mustard taught him son he good lessons.
 'n, If a child by permission or accide ale makes any such experiment sympatl ilt in the result should not be withhel oh He should not be blamed or laughed { en but tenderly helped. Moreover, Hs ,se rvs bravery was worthy of commend ,re tion. A boy who can patiently bear t ,n- pain he brings upon himself by his m 7ill takes shows at least one noble and ma ,h- ly trait of character.
 to There is no surer way to check co Ire fidential intercourse between parent a the child, and to retard the development pc, his best faculties, than to create an ere mosphere ot blame about him. He W are grow unhappy and discouraged, if I be disobedient and reckless. Far bet ygs let some childish wrong-doings pass | the reproved than to make your boy f ere that he never quite pleases you. W led commendation will not foster vanity ,7S. self.consciousness. A loving word, rest appreciative smile, any sympathe but recognition ot real effort IS genera
 ,,noro hnlnf1l than many rnnrnnfS