Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-01-07
THE SLEEP OF CHILDREN.



A child should be IN bed as the fowls
are, at shutdown rs least. And he
should be allowed 20 rise in the morn
ing as soon as he wakes. 1t is not only
torture but an unhealthy mischief to
compel children 10 lie in bed awake
two hours to prevent disturbing older
people. The morning sun is most
essential to plant life. conservatory
should always, if possible, be on the
east side of a house. 1t is equally true
that the morning sun is most valuable
for animal vigor, and that includes
human beings. We, all of us, nrc
breaking both ends of the law. Our
sleep should be taken earlier, and we
should never fail of getting the morn
ing sun.
abominate night parties for chill
dren, | believe every physician does.
1t is not so much the exposure and the
eating in the night. and the bad asso-
Citations formed (of a h~igh-toned sort,
possibly but the breaking into the
sleep habit. Equally bad is it for chill
dren to study in the evening. 1t
gorges their brains with blood, and if
they sleep they dream. l had a little
patient of twelve years, who was vast
ell and nervous, and whose dreams
were filled with his problems. 1t was
n marvel and pride to his parents That
the youngster worked out hard prob
lens in his sleep, such as he failed to
master when awake. But he came
near his final problem. | locked up
his books at six o'clock. He must no,
touch one after his supper. He must
play and romp, and then 90 to bed.
He is now robust. You can not empha.
size too strongly the mischief of chill,
dren's night study.
Whatever n stolia lot of animal na.
lures can do, our American children
are sensitive and can not do-that i.
sleep safely two in "A bed. No matter
in what else you economic there is ;
criminal folly in economizing in beds.
Every person needs his own bed more
than he needs his own chair or his own
palate ut table. And the best bed in
the world Is II good bed Of fresh straw
covered with plenty of quilts. Nc
child should he allowed 10 SLEEP on
feathers or animal refuse of any sort.
But to sleep two in u bed is Il vital
damage. One is sure to absorb the
electric energy of the other. What
we must look for is to accumulate con-
stitution for the child, and estabrs h a
stout, conservative tendency. Our
American life will be sure to make
heavy drafts on him. If he has no .on.
ital he can pay no interest. This tobit
OF sleeping alone should be retained
through life under all circumstances
More mischief comes from the oppcsie
course than from any other comtaou
habit.
A good deal of nonsense is sometimes
bb,eD ,I about sending children to
enon|dth full stomachs. This is well
md hos = long as a babe is an animal
,ha hr.i,. awakened 10 much use Of
come to an age .. -" emu mas
should have n chance ~, .nougnt he
and sport after his meals; 's"' exercise
ever, allowing him togo to bcdE now
Above all things to be deprecafeted'
the stormy season so frequently in..
o"'ged IN Just at retiring. The child |
prefers to sit up, and invariably retircs
IN a storm of passion, added to by the
storm oil nurse or parent. He shoul(
be calmly and firmly restrained from
all such outbreaks. There is n grcl |
difference in children about retiinI
some very active brains grow slcepf
and desire to retire early; othcp
equally active grow wakeful and q
cited.--sL Louie 0tobs-D -n'oerot.