The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-04
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BOYS.
some Suggestions About Training rAem.

4
In the nature of almost every boy
there are four powerful influences at
work, which tend, as they are slowly
used, to strengthen or weaken his moral
| character, viz;
1. His restlessness, or desire to be
doing something, which is the cause of
many of his troubles (and his mothers
also).
g. His great craving for companion
ship, and what he calls ''fun. which
seems TO be a necessity to most healthy
| boys.
8 His fear of ridicule, which in many
boys is'so great that they can be induced
| to sin against conscience and stomach in
order to escape it.
f. The desire 10 appear manly.
The boy carries these four influences
with aim always. and it is contest be-
tween MS and Satan as TO who shall con-
troll them; and the boys fate depends
much alpon the issue of this contest He
is worth all the bravcst efforts that 4can
bemade in his behalf. He is worth more
than all the gold or honor You can win.
If yon love him more than yon-love
these things and even than Won love youTe
self or yonr own ease and comfort, you
can with the Lords help, hold HIM safe
against the world, the flesh and the devil
But you must be wise as serpents. F"
Too much restraint will chafe and embit-
ter. Too little is sure to end in ruin.
You must make your child happy, for
it is true that discomfort is the cause of
most of the wickedness in the world. .
You must let him see that you eagerly
desire his happiness, and that he has your
warfnest sympathies in his efforts to find
it. IF he sees that you put off his gratifi
cation to suit your own convenience, he
will suspect your lack of sympathy. If
he sees you break your promises to him,
or grant him an indulgence that you have
said was improper for him. he will sus-
pect your sincerity. If he sees you
guilty of make believes, or false pre-
tensions or shams of any sort whatever
you have lost his confidence and respect,
and may expect soon to lose his affection
and then to lose your hold on him.
Children are very close and shrewd OBJ
servers of human nature, and not easily
deceived. Your only hope is dealing
honestly and sincerely with them. But
how shall you make them happy? have
asked this question a thousand times in
school, and my answer is, by keeping
them occupied in pleasurable employ
ments.
Boys love to play, and that is your last
great resort. But they also love to work
at things they can do specially well. Then
do you see to it, when you give them work
or a lesson to learn, that you show them
how to do it really well, and then accept
it as well done. A school becomes FESTIVE
and unhappy whenever there is not
enough work to keep the pupils busy, or
when they do not know how to do it. Let
all your Instructions and directions he
clearly stated, and do not cut out too
much work but insist upon having every
task that has been assigned fully and
thoroughly executed.
You must make them your companions.
The boy who is in love with his mother
and sister, and looks upon his father as
the very king of men. cannot easily be
won away from them. But he must be
met half way for if he feels that he is
only tolerated as nuisance, and feels |
himself charged with all the offenses that |
have been committed he will be power |
fully tempted to meet your expectations |
and make your bill of indictment a true |
one. Make him feel, at home, he is more
han the prince of the blood, that his
wants and wishes are always worth con-
Steering and that even his opinion and
good will are of some worth. Knit him
to you by ties of kind that satan cannot |
knit, You have possession of the citadel; |
Why should you be driven from it? 1t /
AN only be by your own fault. Loyalty
o you is deep rooted in your boys ma
ure, and if you are wise and alert he
annot be seduced from his allegiance TO
on.