The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-06-25


one eternal "dOn't."
Said another in recalling remlni.
scenes of childhood: "When / was
child l was rendered miserable by
being constantly watched and train
ed. l was very fond of being alone,
at times. l could give no reason
for it, but l loved to stay in unoc-
cupied rooms, or find hiding place
among the bushes in the garden,
there to amuse myself with my own
plays and fancies. My mother was
suspicious that this meant evil OF
some kind and constant surveillance
and reprimand for going off to myself
is one of the unpleasant memories
of my childhood.
Nothing should be more carefully
respected and guarded than the in
dividualitv of child. The atmos-
phere of home should he that OF
love and safety, in which all the
natural incIinations of children
should he allowed to act spontane-
ously. Their wishes for employment
and possession of their own should
be respected, their tastes in matters
of food and dress consulted in so
far as consistent with the conven-
fence of those around. We have
heard grown up people tell of the
distaste they had when children to
certain kinds of food which they
were compelled to eat, or certain
kinds of clothes which they were
compelled to wear. 1t used to be a
rule in many families brought up in
the Puritan style that child must
eat all the crusts of his bread, or all
the fat on his meat or all the food
on his plate. Such rules are 5arbar-
Gus, and we trust nearl y obsolete,
yet children's taste in food ought to
be more considered than it is. Food
that is distasteful should never be
forced upon them, and to procure
for them food which they enjoy will
in most cases be to procure. such
food as their systems require. So of
taste in dress. Children may some
times have an antipathy to particu
lar colors, or particular garments
and a preference to others. If pos
sible these tastes should always be
respected, guarding of course
against encouraging or fostering
vanity.
So of the occupations and en-
of children; as far as pos
sible they should be left to follow
their own inclinations when they
are harmless. If your little girl
would rather play with hammer and
tack than with dolls, why, let her
have them and see that she has a
board or a place where she can
drive them without reproOf. If your
little boy wants to hitch the chairs
up for horses and can enjoy himself
happily as an imaginary stage driv-
err, set apart certain chairs tor him
and let him drive unmOlested and
If he begs for tools, let
him have them; if he wants pencils
or paint, procure them for him.
The only way by which parents can
secure the confidence of their chill
dren is first to show confidence in
them. Confidence must be won; it
can never be forced, not even from
the little ones who play around our
knees.
A happy childhood is the greatest
heritage parents can give to their
children. Its memory will brighten
and cheer the whole of life. To be
happy it must to a certain extent
be unrestrained. The home play
ground should have no dangerous
places from which children should
be forbidden and guarded. And in
the shelter of the home and the
play ground, let the young spirits
develop freely, spontaneously and
happily. Let them have their their little
secrets, their own possessions which
no one shall interfere with, their
own plays, and, so far as it is con-
si9tent with the welfare aud comfort
Of others, their own way. Life will
discipline them harshly enough
when parents can no longer shield
them from sorrOw.-Chioago Week
ly Magazine.