Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-03-29
DISCIPLINING CHILDREN.

Firmness and consideration are
cardinal principles in disciplining
children. Firmness is necessary at
the earliest age. In all the care and
management of child much thought
should be exercised. At a very early
age child will take advantage of a
weak mother. At The same time it
is not strength to make set of rules
and compel children to obey them as
if all children were made alike; but
watch a child closely, find out what
are its natural tendencies, and adapt
to them the few rules necessary to
its needs. If it is natural for child
to want it's food at certain intervals,
then feed it regularly according to
it's natural demands; and so on thro'
the various things in which child
must be trained. By careful observa-
ton mother can soon learn child's
necessities and make its life regular
without friction.
The secret of good discipline lies
in adaptation of forces to the nature
of the child. Consideration of pc
culiarities must be made IN very
young children. Seldom two children
can be governed in the same way
and it is duty of parents to study
their individualities, otherwise there
is no discipline, but the care given
aggravates evil tendencies in them.
There can be no doubt that much of
the naughtiness of children is unin-
tentionally taught, Or developed in
them. When grown people are so
far from perfect, it seems unfair that
every apparent fault of the child
should be made so much. of and
many times what seems wrong in
child IS only natural act under the
exciting conditions, and if we take
time to examine the matter we shall
be more just. Injustice and weak
ness in parents makes sad havoc with
children's characters. There is
strong latent force in children which
we must strive to control: we cannot
change its nature, but by strength
and patience, and thoughtfulness we
may guide it.
Over-discipline is as harmful as the
want of discipline. 1t may be worse,
for if child is let alone, there is a
natural development for good; but
if child is continually prodded with
rules and directions, it may grow re-
bellious, its obstinacy is aroused, land
its finer feelings are blunted. Many
a time by forbidding we create a de-
sire; as we invite falsehood by pro-
hibiting something that the child will
do thoughtlessly, and can only re-
frain from doing by constant self
control and often the thing forbid
den is of little consequence compared
with the train of evils its prohibition
introduces. When the child has dis
obeyed it is punished the next time
it disobeys it naturally tells false
hood to avoid punishment. Children
are morally and physically towards.
and the greatest care is necessary tC
prevent this weakness from becoming
large element in their character. A
thoughtless wrong act is not SO bad
as wilful disobedience. We may
give a child many opportunities fol
doing wrong IN this thoughtless way
1t does not follow that because moth.
er slips over many of the small mis-
demeanors in child's life that she is
without law or order. The strength
of his influence is needed for the NOR,
important occasions. Let child re
vove in it's own orbit; when it is ou
of order, replace it with as little dis
turbance as possible. 1t will live it,
own life in spite of everything, anC
it Is the duty of parents to see tha
the conditions surrounding it are con
ducive to healthy and pure growth
and that the faulty traits it has un
doubtedly inherited be eradicated b,
every means possible.