The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-10-26

on a Sensitive ChiId-Never MOrtify a
Child in Company.
Copyright by American Press Association
There is nothing so helpful to a sensi-
tive child as kind words of praise and
encouragement. There are children
who are born with an undue amount of
! conceit and confidence They will stand
up boldly and sing song or speak a
piece in a company to whom their per-
Torrance is rarely edifying, and they
accept the fattery bestowed upon them
as a matter of course. They do not
need encouragement; they have a full
stock of self assurance and supreme con-
fidence in the fact that they are wonder
full children, with the world at their
feet. And yet it is to these that parents
and teachers are most inclined to give
praise and assistance.
The little blushing maid who shrinks
into corner, who spills water on the
tablecloth, and who stumbles painfully
through her spelling lesson is the one
who receives all the blame. Even the
mother, too, often looks upon her as hope
lessly awkward, and does not hesitate to
say so repeatedly in the child's hearing.
Now it is neither stupidity nor awk-
wardness which causes many a child to
stumble and blunder and become hope
lessly confused at important moments.
In nine cases out Of ten the unfortunate
little one is capable Of quite as much as
the brother or sister who is brought for
ward to be admired while the awkward
child is sent from the room: only in one
nature has implanted an excess of bash
fulness and delicate. sensitive soul
which can live only in the sunshine of
encouragement and gentle words.
A wise mother feels this need Of her
child and peurs out wealth Of tender
ness over the little sensitive plant which
God has placed in her hands, but there
are many mothers who are not wise
enough to see that under the shrinking
exterior lives beautiful soul that needs
only tender nurture and sympathy to
make it expand into lovely flower.
1t is pitiful to note the effect of a care
less harsh word upon a sensitive child.
AOL l4OuAO ~ N01AANo III ito AAbtAO
heart. and creeps about the house silent
and detected. Too often it happens that
the daily reprimands administered for
awkward behavior or for failure in
recitations crush a child's struggling
ambition and make it dull and sullen
and hopeless. Constant condemnation
viii dampen the ardor and check the
growth of even person of mature years
when that person is of a sensitive nature,
and how much more disastrous is such
treatment to little child
There is a false idea that praise nour-
ishes vanity. Flattery may do this, for
fattery is never the truth. never genu-
inc. and weaLens the character of the
man, woman or child who accepts it and
feeds on 1T; but praise is tribute to
what is good. 1t is helpful and inspir-
ing, and stimulates the one who receives
it to do better work than heretofore.
1t is only another form of sympa-
thy and encouragement, and for this
reason is especially valuable to the
young. 1t is often good plan to
throw some trifing responsibility upon
the shoulders of a bashful child-set
it to watch the steps of a younger brother
or sister. or to see that the fathers slip
pers and dressing gown are always ready
for him in the evening, or to intrust to
its care any of the small household mat
tiers, for the very fact that you show
confidence in the child's capacity to per-
form the task gives the little one sense
of being useful which Is beneficial and
strengthening.
There is nothing a sensitive child
watches so closely as the mothers face.
The shadow of disapproval is detected
before a word can be spoken. and the lit
tie heart begins to flutter with anxiety.
The little child world is so limited that
its horizon is easily clouded. but the
mothers smile of encouragement and
sympathy is the sun which makes the
youthful heart grow ard expand into
sweet life. Parents cannot be too care
full in their treatment of their tender lit
tie ones.
There are some who think the quick
est way 10 break ND bad habits in a child
is 10 morify it before company. This is
a great mistake. 1t viii tx the repri-
mand in the child's MIND undoubtedly,
but 1t will also create a nervousness that
VIII fix the habit as well A lady told
me once that when a child she walked
with her toes turned in. Her father. a
strict disclplinarlaa, always took occa-
sion when strangers were present to
lpNL- or h.ar- 60 ~ 49,
She felt at that moment as if the ewes
of all the world were upon her, and she
would stink away to corner in abject
terror. lit fixed my mind upon nv
toes, and to this day | walk awkward
ly," she said
The benehcert influence Of judicieus
praise is well illustrated bv the youthful
experience Of lady who is now admired
by all her friends for her brilliant con-
verSation and graceful. easy manners
Her childhood was enc prolonged agony
Her mother died when she was an in
FAINT, and she was taken care Of by an
aunt, kind woman. bat evidently not
wise one.
Il was a shrinking. sensitive little
creature. said this lady, land my aunt
sought 10 strengthen my character with
precePt upon precep:. which served 70
brighten away what little courage had
could never enter a nom where there
were older people without tripping over
rug or foosSsOcl. or sit 80 table without
dropping my knife or fork With 8 clat-
ter which sent the blood sGrSing 70 nav
cheeks and made nay head swim. AT
such times my aunt was sure 20 e1ciaiIn,