The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-10-06
" -Er az" L
HOW TO TRAIN BABIES.
Information of Value to
All But Confirmed
Bachelors.
ALWAYS BE FIRM BUT KIND
Leave the Child That Has a "'Ian-
trum'' 10 Cry 1t Ont Alone
Moral Effect Beats
Violence.
ALWAYS BE FIRM BUT KIND.


the first place, punishment is not
necessary in one-fourth the cases
where it is applied.
Young mothers are apt to begin
with strong opinions on this point,
and the first baby is brought up on
my plan" We will suppose that it
works we'll, and that baby number
one DEVELOPS into a model child,
doing the things he should do and be
having himself with a decorum which
is a triumphant proof of the excel
lence of the mothers theory.
But here now comes baby number
two, to be treated in precisely the
same manner, because everything in
a well-regulated nursey should go
as if by clockwork, and the
mother is now sure she knows
just what to do in these matters.
When. 10! and behold this child
is different. His name is John instead
of Thomas; and he does not behave
in the least as Thomas did. The
theory is applied. The baby looks
the mother in the face. and seem to
say, What do you suppose is the use
of that? do you think l caine from
Tom Fools Land?"
The mother wonders what is the
matter. She thinks she probably
seemed wanting in firmness or in clear
ness. Dear baby did not quite under
stand: next time all will go right. She
tries again and all does not go right.
Dear baby understands perfectly well
what she means, but it is not what he
means. When the royal governess
and chanberlains demonstrated with
the present Majesty OF Spain on
his habit of eating his royal chicken
with his royal fingers, and repre-
sented to him that kings did not do
so, This king does" quoth Alfonso
the Wise and continued his dinner.
Each baby learns very quickly
whether he or his prime minister is
going to rule the Kingdom. If the
mother means to be mistress she must
study the character of each child as it
developes into a thinking, reasoning,
willing human being, and not try to
stretch it on the P~rocrustes bed of an
unyielding theory.
With some children corporal pun
ishment is never, or hardly ever,
necessary; with others it seems an
absolute need, without which the
child does not reach its best develop
ment.
But corporal punishment is not the
only kind. The cases where it seems
the right and proper thing are COM
paratively rare. In my opinion, a
child should be whipped for nothing
save for deliberate disobedience.
TREATMENT OF TANTRUMs.
1t is easy to punish a child kindly;
and this kind of punishment is in
finitely more eff1cacious. l remember
a great and good mans telling me of
his fathers methods of dealing with
refractory children. This great man
was a very turbulent boy, it seems,
and much given to fits of roaring and
bowling, which. though refreshing to
himself, and no doubt strengthening
to his lungs, were most distressing to
his mother and disturbing to the
whole house.
One day his father, a busy man.
who was not fond of noise, happened
to come into the house just as one of
Master WHY'S tantrums was in full
swing. The mother was weeping in
fear that the child would injure him
self; the servants stood around
aghast, the air vibrated with wild
yells, as If the boy were being tori
with hot pincers instead of standing
at his ease in the middle of the room,
no one daring to come within reach
of his fist or foot.
The father surveyed the scene
calmly for a few moments, then. lift
ing the screaming boy in his arms, he
carried him off. Willy paused an in
slant to see what was happening to
him, and then redoubled his shrieks
as he saw he was in his fathers strong
arms and that those arms were carry
ing him-down cellar.
Down the stairs they went, the cool
air striking on the boys fevered
brow, and giving him a realizing sense
of what was going on. He kicked, he
struggled, in vain. The strong arms
held him tight; the quiet, bearded
face looked down on him calmly, even
benignly, but there was no escape.
Suddenly he was set down on the
floor, and he heard his fathers voice
speaking.
HIS CRY OUT.
MY boy,n said the voice, 81 have
brought you down here so that you
can have your cry out and enjoy
yourself. / cannot have you disturb
the house, but here there is no danger
of your disturbing anybody. Scream
away to your hearts contentl no one
can hear you except Inc, and / shall
not mind ia inv study, as the floor is
thick, but when you have quite fin
ished | will come and take you OUT
With these words the father with.
drew, boiling the cellar door after
him.
1t is perhaps unnecessary to say
that the boy very soon found that he
had had his "heart's CONTENT There
is little fun in crying when no one
minds it-when no one even hears it.
The roars died down into gasps, the
gasps into snuffles, and in ten minutes.
when the firm father came smiling
the stairs he found a meek and
composed little son, who was quite
ready to come up and be good. and
showed a natural and healthy interest
in dinner time.
Generally speaking. / know no bet
49, .FLF = 4