Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-01-16
Watching Over the Young.

| In the earlier years of childhood the at
sociates of tho little ones are confined to
members of the household or to chosen
friends. During this period there is much
danger that there will be too great solicitude
| shown for their happiness and welfare,
making them too dependent upon their
elders for the qualification of their desires.
| For in the natural course of events. they
will be obliged when still quite young to
spend large part of their waking hours
away from parental care and guidance. and
| it is desirable therefore that they should
I from the beginning be made self reliant.
The hardest problem to the loving mother
comes when the child reaches school age
| aud must be sent out for hours at time
with rough or otherwise undesirable associ-
| ates. What is she now to do to guard her
| offspring from the evil communications
that corrupt good manners? 1t the subject
be boy it will not do to guard him too
much. He will soon learn to take care of
himself if he has been started with right
principles and is occasionally checked when
he shows tendency to make friends with
those whom he should avoid. Bnt he should
be led to make his own choice, to look out
for himself, and, whatever solicitude may
be felt about him, he should not be i'm
pressed with the idea that he is a superior
being or that special care is being taken Of
his interests. Such treatment besides Civ
ing rise to a conceit that may estrange him
from his fellows, also breaks down his feel
ing of self-reliance and leads him to look to
others for protection and guardianship. 1t
is better, while keeping watchful eye up.
on his course and gently guiding it Alright
to leave him largely to his own devices for
social Amusemsnts. he may get hurt oc.
casionally By rough DOM sanions, but the
discipline will do him good if while being
taught TO take care OF himself he 10 also in
structed not to follow their bad example in
provoking Quarrels The risk of bad com
pauionship 10 indeed not 90 great with boys
ard 1t home az the risk that comes Of too
much caro- taking, with its usual result of
breaking down individual strength of char
acters, Indeed there 10 scarcely any dan
ger that he will form obviously dangerous
associations II he il permitted to bring his
companions to his own home for play and
recreation. Be shoAs9, 10 Ia5Ss ss>e sncour
aged in his soc;si Tendencies sud esntly
guided TO wis8 sio;rs Of oou pAnieas. Ii
this De not done "a tha early days, nhsi he
IS most impress oAshie acd n ST g1aeF the
influence of his pssslts, Re may a sser
years. vheii ea}ssgS liss begins, be expased
to much greater dangers ct bad cotv lon-
chip through iuoz aertanea and i4es eF eon-
fidence in himself. or the waxing neurs OF
healthy boy of school age fully one-half
will probably be passed out of the view Of
his parents. Whatever their desires may
be, they cannot watch over him while he is
at school or at play. But they may in
earlier years encourages in him frankness Of
disposition, self-reliance and honesty, that
will as a matter of course make bad associ-
ates distasteful to him. There is broad dis
tinction between watchful care and guild
ance of children and what IS called ''cod-
ding" Each is born of parental love, but
the one is the outcome of love and tender
ness under wise restraint and guidance; the
other of love of selfish and unreasonable
kind. The one seeks to build up a strong
character, leaving courses of action to be
guided thereby; the other seeks to guard
and protect from all the experiences that
90 to develop character The one cultivates
hardy plant out of doors; the other resorts
to dollhouse culture. Too much of thought
and loving care cannot be expended upon
ones children, but it Should not be SO ex-
travagant as to protect them from the use
full experiences of disappointment, sorrow,
and, it may be, of suffering. All these will
come in time, and it is better that children
should be fortified and prepared for them
by light experiences than to be so guarded
and protected during the formative period
that when thrown upon their own resources
they are unable either TO protect themselves
or to bear pain or sorrow with fortitude.
The loving care of children requires in fact
that they should not be so much governed
and protected as guided. Sun.
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