The Dickinson press., 1889-04-13

and Suggestions for the Guar
dian of Homc-Nlary Stuart's Toilets.
The Progress Made by Womcn-Talks to
and About tho Young.
Tie infant of q few months old who will
resign himself after u hard fight to going to
sleep i'll his cradle, instead of being rocked off
to dream land in his mothers or nurse S arms,
has already learned tho necessity of yielding
to IL stronger power than his own. AS he
becomes older the habit of obedience should
grow upon him, and if he is properly man
aged there need be very little antagonism
between him and his parents.
one must not expect impoSsibilities. All
the world cried out against the English
Clergyman who whipped his sixteen months
Old boy black and blue because he would not
stop crying; yet there are some parents who
seem to make almost as unreasonable de-
mands upon their little ones. The writer has
been told, in all good faith, of Il baby who
was much improved by being whipped for
crying when he was only two months old!
An ordinary child may DO taught to obey
by the time he is u year old. That is, lie may
by then learn to go through various little
tricks at the word of command, to rclinquish
anything he holds, and sometimes to stop
crying. a child's apparent disobcdiencc often
arises from inattention or lack of comprchcn-
sion. His thoughts arc wandering, and his
nental processes are not yet sufficiently rapid
for him to bring himself instantly en- rapport
with the person who issues an order. If his
slowness, instead of being met with patience,
is sharply rebuked, tho little ono becomes
frightened and loses all idea of what Is cx-
pcc,ed of him. This was probably the case
i'll the instance cited above, when the sixteen
months old boy was so inhumanly punished.
Tho tirm, gentle repetition of u command
will often insure obedience where harshncss
would utterly fail.
But where kindness does not succeed, and
where it is thoroughly evident tho child
grasps the meaning of tho order, more severe
measures must DO resorted to. What these
are to be must he determined for each parent
by herself. On the subject of tho corporal
punishment Of children there is u great deal
of rose water sentimcntalism in vogue just at
present. The apostles of this new dispensa-
ton urge the ruling of children by love alone,
and declaim against harsh measures of any
kind. One is forced to tho conclusion that
their ranks are chiefly recruited from tho
body of spinsters and childless wives.
While all true hearted, loving mothers
must dcplurc the necessity of bodily punish
ment for children, yet the most judicious of
them can hardly fail to recognize that it is n
necessity. Alleged tendc hcartcdncss in this
respect is often only u cuphonious term for
self indulgence and ~lazincss. 1t is far easier
for the mother TO condone INSTRUMENTATION
and pass over Il fault than to exact obedience
and administer correction.
With some children Il whipping has IL mar
%velously good effect. With others it is highly
delcterious. The mother must learn the tem-
peraments of her flock while they arc yet
babies, and regulate her control of them in
accordance with tho conclusions sho dcduccs
from their dispositions. The mother is spoken
OF hero as tho governing power rather than
tho father, because the children arc moro
constantly thrown with her. Moreover, only
in very raro instances should tho task of in
tlicting corporal punishment be intrusted to
tho father. With no thought of injuring tho
child, he seldom has tho least idea of the
weight of his hand, and may do the child
serious harm.