The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-28

place. nor to touch sharp point be-
him, in all instances derive pain from
his wrong doingS. and he will avoid
them; he can comprehend this. and the
employment of the method viii be a
government of itself. in place of parental
Injunction alone. There are two branch
es. however. to the effects of this con-
duct,-one affects himself, the other
affects others. If he uses sharp knife
unskilfuIly. the penalty is cut, and
this consequently follows with such I'M
VARYING regularity that he soon learns
to be careful enough to protect himself
BY proper handling The injury direct
" consequent upon himself from his
maladaptation he comprehends. and
will avoid BY not doing that which
brings the pain The only fear is that
nature will teach this lesson too well,
and MAIN, or disfigure, or cripple him;
whereas. under the watchful care of pa
rents, he might learn the lesson under
less severe penalties Instead of keep
ing the child away from the sources OF
physical pain. by all means let him
learn what it IS in its relation as an
effect from a cause, but take care that
he does not incur too painful consequent
ces. He can be made to infer these
from less painful ones that are related to
them. He viii realize the danger OF
cutting off his toe with an axe from the
slight wound that a penknife may in
flict upon his hand. Ii he cannot an
derstand why he should not have the
axe, lead him to recall his experience
with knife.
But there are some things that can
not be permitted in any form for the
sake of the penalty, walking in water,
for instance. and getting wet feet. from
which serious lung or other diseases
may result If you bride the child not
to do this, lie viii always believe that
it brings pleasure until he has surreP-
titiously tried it. and at last, perhaps,
nearly dies in consequence. Inc act
should not be separated from some pain
"a pain that is mental-for this may
and should be employed in all cases
when the physical results are more Sc
we're than is absolutely necessary for
the child's welfare. So, to keep the
child out of puddles of water, hold over
him the deprivation of some cherished
pleasure that he values more than he
does the one that will finally end in
painful and serious consequences, which,
of course, he cannot understand. Child
rem always have favorite qualifications
that have no evil consequences, and the
parent, knowing what these are, can
always and easily be master of the
child's conduct
This brings us to the other division
of the child's conduct-that which is
Immediately pleasurable to himself,
though it would be remotely harmful to
him by being painful to others. The
| method suggested in the last paragraph
| is applicable here. Deprive the child OF
some fond pleasure. Ii he leaves his
playthings scattered about, and refuses
| to pick them up and put them away.
| instead of whipping him, wait till nexi
, time that he wants them, and then
| when the denial viii be most keenly
| felt, do not let him have them. Ii he
loses a plaything, do not at once buy
| him another, but let him mourn the loss
long enough to understand that the pos
session of the article depends upon his
care of il, at the same time explaining
| the matter to him. Always connect the
pain that he feels with the wrong
| doing.
The subject deserves a longer discus
sion than can here be given to it, bu
| enough has been written to show tha
| the theory of child government is The
method of nature We know that moth
ers are averse to seeing their children
suffer the slightest pain, even for {
short time, and that for many years K
come large portion of them will b.
slow to adopt this method, because o
their inability to perceive that the i'm
mediate pain that the child suffers UNI
der this method is far less in quality
| and duration than the more remote pain
| that comes from the method now com
mon. The child will love the paren
| who puts herself in the way of pointing
out to him the pains that may be expect
ed from his conduct, great deal more
| than he will the one who is in the att
| tude of constantly deprlving him 0
what he believes to be pleasures. The
| purposed subsection of the child to men
tai and some physical pain does MOI
seem cruel to one who finds that it fall
far short of balancing the more serious
pains that are entailed when the chile
has not been given the discipline neces
sary for his welfare. Yet, no doubt
there are mothers who beat their child
rem, torture them with fright and brin:
upon them sources of pa n that will en-
dure for years, by a whimsical. over
indulgment, irrational government. VIII
will regard the infliction of slight AM
temporary mental pain upon a chil'
exceedingly cruel, though it saves tn
child from barbarous whippings ant
long suffering. To them we will sa.
that this government that we advocat
is tried in MANY households with NOR
or less thoroughness, and that, to tn
extent to which it is used, it is an ur
qualified good TO children. = Good HouSt
keeping.