Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-01
WOMAN AND HOME.
HELPFUL HINTS CONCERNING THE
CARE OF CHILDREN.
Esthetic Importance Of Dress-Amusing
the Baby - Wall Paper - Items for
Housekeepers Fashion Notes
Individuality of Children.
[Chicayo Weekly Magazine,

"What more can give my children than
! am giving themr asked an anxious young
mother Of a matron who had successfully
reared large family. II think, my dear,
they would be benefited by little whole
some neglect was the reply. Il was the
result of keen observation, and recogni-
ton of the fact that the children in ques-
ton were kept in a continual state Of worry
by being watched The mothers eye and
care was so omnipresent that their spon
taneity was checked, and, as one remarked,
life for them was one eternal don't"
Said another in recalling "reminiscences Of
childhood: when / was a child l was rem
derei miserable by being constantly watched
ana trained was very fond Of being alone
at times. l could give no reason for it, but
/ loved to stay in unoccupied rooms, or find
a hiding place among the bushes in the gar
den, there to amuse myself with my own
plays and fancies My mother was suspic.
ious that this meant evil Of some kind, and
constant surveillance and reprimand for
going of by myself is one Of the unpleasant
memories Of my childhood"
Nothing should be more carefully re-
spected and Guarded than the individuality
of a child. The atmosphere Of home should
be that of love and safety, in which all tie
allowed to act spontaneously. Their wishes
for employments and possessions Of their
own should be respected, their tastes in mat
tiers of food and dress consulted in SO far as
is consistent with the convenience 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 rule in many families
brought up in the Puritan style that q 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 barbarous, and we
trust nearly obsolete, yet children's taste in
food ought to be more considered than it ia
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 re-
quire So of taste in dress. Children may
sometimes have an antipathy to particular
colors, or particular garments, and prefer
ence for Others. II possible these tastes
should always be respected, guarding, Of
course, against encouraging or fostering
vanity.
So of the occupations and employmeuts
of children, as far as possible they should be
left to follow their own inclinations when
they are harmless. If your little girl would
rather play with hammer and tacks than
with dolls, why, let her have them, and see
that she has board, or a place where she
can drive them without reproof. II your
little boy always wants to hitch the chairs
up for horses and can enjoy himself happily
as an imaginary stage driver, set apart Ger.
tain chairs for him, and let him drive unmo-
Tested and unmatched. If he begs for tools,
let him have them; if he wants pencils or
paints, procure them for him. The only
way by which parents can secure the conf
dence of their children is first to show con-
fidence in them Confidence must be won;
it can never be forced, not even from the
little ones vino 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 must be forbidden and
guarded And in the shelter Of the home
and the aground, let the young spirits
develop freely, spontaneously, happily. Let
them have their little secrets, their own
possessions which no one shall interfere with,
their own plays, and, SO far as it is consist
ent with the welfare and comfort Of Others,
their own way. Life will discipline them
harshly enough when parents can no longer
shield them from sorrow.