, 1885-07-06
OF n
Teaching tho children Tho Art and Use
Of Self Control.

Toronto Globe
Presence of mind is a quality much
talked Of, much honored-little Guilt
waited, yat- like most other good things
in this world, 1t re iuires cultivation TO
bring it TO any degree of perfection, for
in very few cases il is a natural gift.
some people there arc, doubt
less, TO whom it comes nat
urally and by instinct TO do the right
thing ut tho right time and place; but
the arc few in number. Then again,
some people are by nature cooler headed
han their ~neighbors, and do not
scream and otherwise become useless
Just when their services are re uired.
But this quiet composure, though very
valuable, is not quite the same as pres
ence of mind. The latter consists not
only in having your wits ready for use,
but in knowing how to use them, and
being sufficiently calm and steady in
mind to remember and turn to account
that knowledge.
Fro n the earliest possible age children
should be taught self-control, and the
instinct OF trying to remedy any mis-
take or accident they may encounter.
Teach your child, If he cuts hi self any
where, at once to hold the two sides of
the cut tightly together, TO stop the
bleeding, and then TO cry il he likes in
stead Of, as children usually do, dancing
about, bowling and shaking the wounded
part violent y. Show him that il he
burns or scorchcs himself he can save
himself much pain by covering the place
with wet soap, or cold cream, or fuller's
earth, or violet powder, all or any of
which are pretty suro 10 DO within reach
in the nursery.
But If boys require to be taught self
control, doubly so do girls. Having, by
nature, weaker nerves aud Il more vivid
Imagination, they shrink from pain,
suffering and danger IN a fashion ut
terly unintelligible to their brothers.
But the more natural this shrinking is,
the more carefully SHOULD they be
taught to govern it. Girls should ac-
quire at least the rsdiments of nursing
and learn tho best and easiest attaina-
BILE remedies for the ordinary accidents
Of daily life, Just as certainly and as a
matter Of course MS they are taught TO
sow and to read. Especially should quiet
and GOODNESS be impressed on them.
Calmness is not insensibility, though
many people COMO nd them. A girl is
not hard hearted and unfeel.ng because
she can witness painful sights, and, il
need be. lend a steady, firm hand to the
doctor or nurse. On the contrary, abe
has usually twenty times the sympathy
and unselhsh kindness of that delicate
little damsel who has no command
whatever over herself, and ills tho room
with shrieks, winding up by running
away the very moment an extra hand
might be useful.
II may seem hard to say 30, perhaps,
but those dainty bodies, who are so ut
terly useless at any emergency, or, as
their friends plead, so highly endowed
with sensibility" those who are not their
friends make unpleasant reference to
folly and 'hysterics'i, are generally
selfish and self-absorbed to a degree
utterly unintelligible to their moro sober
sisters, who are taught to forget self,
and control 10th mind and body by their
large hearted sympathy with, and com
prehension OF, suffering. But the sick.
room is not tho only place where pres
cnce Of mind is required. Scarcely a
day passes when we do not more or less
require 1t. Thank goodness the notion
that women should faint or go into hys-
terics for the smallest thing is pretty
well exploded, still, oven yet the oppo-
site lesson might be- more strongly inoul-
Gated.