The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-04-12
HOW TO TEACH AND ENTERTAIN
CHILDREN

| ChALDhENs
Being one of the many who feel a vital
interest in good housekeeping, and feel
ing that one of the best ways to awaken
an interest in the subject in our children
is by early training and practical teach
ing, hit upon plan which, so far, has
worked very successfully.
Every morning the first question after
breakfast was Mamma, what shall |
do?' This question gradually assumed
such large proportions that | was COM
pletely at a loss what to suggest. Hav-
ing only one child, little girl of six
years, | felt more need of entertaining
her, and as | live in large house which
means many cares, my time during the
mOrniug is SO much occupied that could
not devote it to her. Then it was that
my new idea came to me Why not let
her help me in my round of household
duties2 1t will be change from play,
and as long as it amuses her she viii not
| realize but that tits as good as play. So
| began that very morning and told her
she might wipe dishes. Providing her
with a small cheese-clOth towel, which
she could easily handle. ! allowed her to
wipe the glasses and silver, the coffee
cups and saucers. OF course for a few
times | had to 90 over the glasses for
stray lint, but she soon got so she could
wipe and polish them as nicely as any
one, and she can now wipe plates and in
fact, nearly all the dishes, excepting the
large dinner things. She rather prefers
washing to wiping, and as an especial
treat, when | am not hurried, | allow
her to wash them. The happy laugh and
merry song well repay the wet apron and
the little pool of water which is usually
to be found upon the floor after her min
istratiOns, but it comes off the Oilcloth
readily and she goes and gets the floor
cloth and wipes it off herself.
My next venture was in teaching her
to do chamber work, in which she is now
as proficient as little arms and strength
will admit of, and she will make up
bed with a mattress as nicely as any one.
She usually takes one side of the bed and
| the other and, tired mothers, you little
know how many steps the little ones
can save in putting the sleeping room to
rights. nor how WELT hey enjoy it. She
knows that the sheets must be put on the
bed with the fold or seam straight down
the middle of the bed; that the quilts or
blankets must be smoothly tucked in all
around before putting on the spread, and
how to turn down the spread in wide,
smooth fold, which always makes bed
look so neat, and how to shake and
smooth out and stand up the pillows.
For weeks she went up stairs every
morning and helped me make three beds.
Next | taught her how to take care of
the crockery in the rooms. She knows
that every dish that has been used must
be rinsed out in clean cold water and
dried perfectly with clean cloth, and |
could send her up stairs alone to attend
to that part of the work, knowing that
it would all be done as conscientiOusly
as though | were with her. She is very
proud Of her accomplishments and en-
joys her work as well as any part of her
play.
When she shows any signs of wearl-
ness set her about something else, that
she may not lose her interest. She has
a great variety of work and whatever
do she wants to do. She has her crazy
patchwork, her knitting, embroidery,
white sewing, carpet rags, and what not.
She made several presents for Christmas
and her enjoyment was very contagious.
She has laundry set and in warm
weather washes all her doll things. She
has molding-boa and rolling-pin and
baking day has many charms for her.
She is very anxious always to try any
new recipe she hears me read in GOOD
HOUsEKEEPING and "Jingles for Little
Ones are particularly delightful. She
has learned them all and several of the
other little poems. In COOP House.
KEEPING for December 10 she learned
the little poem beginning What Shall
We Give to the Baby" and the minute a
new number comes she calls for the little
folks poetry. She is interested in every
thing about the home and mean to keep
her so ii possible.
must tell you about her going to bed.
She doesn't like to 90 upstairs by her
self at half past seven and leave the
lights, the reading and music, but we
have a new plan now, which works like
a charm. She is never so happy as when
persOnating some one beside herself.
One night | proposed she should play
she was going to ball. She Gin imagin-
atom put on her satin dress, long gloves
slippers and what not, and started off
with much interest. Auntie was the
coachman who took her to the party and
she was very ready to go to bed for the
sake of getting started. The next night
she went to California to visit some
little friends. | wrote out ticket for
her to give to the conductor, and she
took sleeping car and next morning
reported lovely trip. Every night now
she begins about seven O'Clock to know
where she had better 90. Iquite enjoy
planning her trips for her, and she goes
off happy every night Good House
keeping.