Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-04-11
THE VERMONT PHENIX BRATTLEBORO FRIDAY April ILL., 1890
THE HOUSEHOLD.


Guiding n Child In Compnnionships
A child cannot easily go on through
childhood without companionships, even il
it we're desirable for him to do so and
moreover, it is not desirable, even il il
we're practicable. Companions are a ne.
cessity to a child. Hence, as a child will
have companions aud as he needs ia
have them, it is doubly important that a
parent be alive to the necessity Of guiding
his every child in the choice Of his com
panions and in his relations to those com
| panions whom he has without choosing
No child can he rightly trained all by
himself, nor wholly by means Of those in
fuences that come to him directly from
above his head There are forces which
operate for a chid's training through being
brought to bear upon him laterally rather
than perpendcularly coming in upon him
by way Of his sympathies, instead Of by way
of his natural desire for knowledge. There
are lessons which child cannot learn so
well from an older person above him as
from young teacher alongside of him
There are impulses which can never be at
their fullest with child when he is alone
as a child, but which will fill and sway him
when they are operative upon him as one
of little company Of children Only as
he learns these lessons from, and receives
these impulses with, wisely chosen and fit
ting companions, can a child have the ben
eft Of them to which he is fairly entitled
Any observing parent will testify that.
on more than one occasion, his child has
| come to him with a new interest in a
thought or theme, inspired by the words or
example of young companion, to the sur
prise of the parent, who had before sought
in vain to excite an interest in that very
direction. All that the parent had said on
the subject had been of no value in com
parison with that which had been said or
done by the childs companion as another
self Again, there are few parents who
have not found TO their regret that their child
has received lessons and impulses directly
opposed to all the parental counsel and pur-
poses, through a brief and comparatively
unnoticed companionship that ought to
have been guarded against And these are
but Illustrations of the instructive and
swaying power of child companionships-
power which ought not to be ignored or
sighted by any parent who would do most
and best for his child's wise training.
wise parent will realize that a child
cannot be trained to be unselishly consid-
crate of his companions to bear and for
bear with companions who are weak or i'm
patient or exacting to show sympathy and
to minister lovingly to those who have
need unless he has companions toward
whom he can thus exercise and evidence a
right spirit And no parent will say or
think that it would be well for child to be
without these elements of character train.
ing in his life progress.
1t is a parents duty to know who his
child's companions are, and to know the
character and course of conduct and in
fiuence upon his child of every one of
those companions separately He must
have his childs sympathy in order to gain
this knowledge, and must give his sympa
thy to his child in order to he able to use
this knowledge wisely. 1t may he necessary
to keep an open house for these compan
ions, and an open hand and heart to them
personally, as it is surely necessary to keep
an open ear to the child's condolences con
corning their sayings and doings, if a par
ent would know all about them that he
needs to know. Knowing his child's com
Partnerships, a parent should encourage
such of them as are worthiest and discour-
age such as he cannot approve, helping the
child to see the advantages of the one class
and the disadvantages of the other.
Recognizing the desirableness and impor-
lance of companionships for his child, Sc
curing the best that are available, learning
fully their characteristics and tendencies,
aiding in their sitting, and seeking their
steady uplifting, parent can do effective
service in the way of guiding his child in
and through that child's companionships.
To neglect this agency of a child's training
would be to endanger his entire career in
life, whatever else were done in his behalf.
.SuudnU SrbOOI Times