The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-03-21
Jnwise Sympathy Of Mothers.

gnWise SImpathJ on Mothers.
Among the many able writers who so
pleasantly enlighten us in the sitting
room anent domestic, and especial, ma
ternal duties, there may be some who viii
be o little startled at the above capt on
Can a notter be too sympathetic? II
think the question may be answered yes.
and no. Never too sympathetic and
tender under some circumstances of her
childs life; wea 1y,-e criminally so
under others.
And too often. as result of this in u
dicious softness Of the mother, grow
many unco nfortable child rem; children
who are alwa unaccountably Ito the
mothers aIiing; children who must
ever be amused o. waited upon by some
body; children who are uncomfortably
timid and who have small idea OF help
ing themselves or others. lido not now
refer to what are usually known as
spoilt children, who must be solaced
with mothers work basket the mantel
ornaments, fathers wat b, or anything
attainable In the household, that Their
elders may be allowed the boon OF ten
minutes ,uiet, but in those homes
where parents are in most respects en-
deavoring to train their little ones
Alright; where bursts of passion, or
ar ant freaks of mischief are duly pun
ished; vet the gentle yield .ng Of the
mother puts undue work on her already
pressed hs nds, and engrafts even disa-
greeable habits on her children, Willie
O Minnie are n d TO do; some ,trifling
srrand across the hall, or upstairs, and
the little one demurs. Mother, or some
tender-hearted sister or n;ie, seeing
the hesita ion. Is very apt to yield TO the
disobliging Incidence, and say: oh!
vel. Til go.''o And the small feet lose
The opportunity to spare the older ones,
and the wee heart strengthens in its ma
tive selfishness- Katie loves to cut pa
per on the oor-a clean. pretty amuse-
nent-but she leaves her scissors and
snil pings to go to other play; at first
you call her back. but seeing the gath
ering frown on the fair little brow, the
sympathetic mother hastens to say; ';go
to /, our dollies mother vii pick all this
up,' So the little girls lesson in neat
ness is unlearned. and q bad habit of
leaving things ..for mother to ,do,.i is
last forming. Charlie or Nellie are not
strong, but fhe.r mother ..can not bear
to punish them" by Withholding. GER
ia n injurious articles Of food. So Nellie
las her meat at night with papa. and,
Is result, tosses and mu'ters in her
deep, frequently disturbing the too
Ond mother s own needed rest Charlie
oil have green apples and cucumhers
n their season. and mother doses and
ioctors, and grows alarmed over the
severe cramps and diarrhea, which q
little firmness in saying no might have
prevented. And, indeed, there are
many mothers too tender (P) to
insist upon sicS children swallowing the
needful m dicine, when found unpala-
table. II have myself heard, with
amusement, mother whose child was
almost at the point of death (and did
finally die with Group, say: al can't
get her to take enough of thisto do any
good; she don't Hfe hfe taste oft % ''--N'
There can be no uestion but that it
is natural 1or some children 10 be far
less daring and self reliant than others;
but that tmidity and nervous terrors
are much incr 'ased by the over-sympa-
thy Of mothers. I have not the slightest
doubt. Gr. ....... ..lsI3 E5g r-.-c--1
Bid your two-year-old Carrie to bring
some article from the nextroom sits
dark" she says, shrin kingly oh not
you answer, cheerily, and almost In
variably the child will 90 at once. Be
careful not to prelude your request by.
''are you afraid to go in, the dark"
Too often the mother says pityingly:
'.Oh! she. afraid, III go, and the result
Is the child neceT ventures alone in q
darkened room Somebody must go
with il, somebody must get it drink OF
water somebody must put away its books
or hat because y it's dark" We have
seen this child-formedh habit cling topper
sons even Of mature. years. n habit ex-
ceedingly uncomfortable to themselves
and others. 81 ....-5s.s "a 100
This unwise sympathy of mothers
canses themselves much -unnecesS Sary
work. inasmuch as 1t renders children
more dependent than they need be.
There are mothers too sympathetic to
teach In fants to st alone. tut weary,
back and arms. holding them. The un-
wise sympathy causes child to mag
Nifty tritiing ills into great misfoTtunes,
the too ready seliishness of the heart As
an excellent writer, said but lately; ..a
sanity, hnselfsh woman may have very
di agreeable, selfish children. ever put
fling herself last; bttt ft is her os0n fault, -
Expect something of your child, and
show him or her that you do expect
something. and nine cases OF of ten
YOUR child responds to you, even at q
chsearlier age than soft disciplin-
/ srsans will admit IS As a character in q
late book for girls energeticaily puts it:
'Set your children on their feet-on
/ their own eetn' ...l t.-...-a.., t.ss ..is.,...
They are neither angels nor toys. but
GSman beings with immortal souls.
whose usefulness and hspp. ness in this
world. sud preparations for another,
may be greStly marred If not lost by un-
wise training. -~Christ. an at " ork-