The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-02-01
HOUSE ADJUSTMENTS.
How to Make Children, Aged Three or
-Four, Contented and Happy.

How to Make Children, Aged Three or
-Four, Contentcd and Happy.
At the age of three and four children
want guiding in their play more than at
any other time during childhood, be-
cause they are then changing their lit
tie habits-leaving babyhood behind
and taking up childish ways, which will
remain with them many years. To
make such little ones happy and keep
them amused is not so difficult matter,
but much patience is required and not a
little ingenuity. 1t is well always to
aim at teaching them from their infancy
to amuse themselves. BY that means
the mother is laying good foundation
in the child's character on which its
greatest happiness will be built.
Give the busy fingers something to do
you may call it play or work. The
latter pleases them most, and by encour-
aging them in the belief that they are
really helping mother you will make
them happy. Give them some strips of
soft woolly stuff and tell them you want
them all picked to threads to fill a
cushion or muff. Cut some paper into
strips and coax their chubby little
fingers to make spills for lighting cam
dies, etc. Give them piece of calico
and a needle into which you have tied a
pretty colored cotton thread and sug-
gest that they make a dolls frock. AL
though quite unable to make two even
stitches, the idea will fill a little girls
heart with pleasure. Let slate and
pencil be used every day-there
is endless amusement in them.
Draw something-no matter how crude
or funny-and get the little one
to try and do the same. Many
merry peal of laughter will gladden.
mothers heart at the queer figures
which will appear on the slate. Save
all pieces ofpaper with pictures on them
advertising sheets and such things-and
let them have an old blunt pair of scis-
sors and try their hands at cutting out
pictures. 1t is not an easy, but very
interesting thing to do, and if encour-
aged to persevere they will, later on,
become quite expert, and might then be
allowed to paste them into a book or
upon screen-that would make them
very proud. Don't mind if they make
litter of their amusements; it is impos-
sible to avoid that, but always teach
them to clear up their bits when they
have finished. They will do it will
ingly-with little coaXing-and some |
day will, in consequence, be more care
full. Then teach them some simple |
songs, with marching step and hand
clapping introduced, for exercises on
wet days. Get book of tiny tales for
children and read one at least every day !
aloud to them. You will be repaid by
the enjoyment they will get from it.
Give them odd buttons, beads, or even
dried beans will do, and teach them to
count and play at having sweet-shops
with them. Do not buy many toys; but
what they have allow them to play with
at any reasonable time. And If they
have no other companions, mother must
sometimes play too, just to show them
how to use their dolls and balls-or
whatever toys they may have-for it is
not natural for all children to play
nicely without help or guidance. They
often require to be started right.-Har-.
riet Lamb, in Detroit Free Press.
--"Pray, my lord" queried gentle
man OF Judge, ''what is the difference
between common law and equity?"
Every little in the end" responded his
lordship. "At common law you are
more quickly disposed OF. The 1ormer
is bullet which is instantaneously and
effective; the latter an
anglers hook, which plays with the
victim before it kills him. Common
law is prussic acid; equity is laudanum."