Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-07-17
LADIES' COLUMN.
SPEAKING HARSHLY 10 CHILDREN

anyone, let themselves fall into habit
of speaking harshly to their children.
They make themselves believe this is
the way to make children more obedi-
emit. AS an example, we heard the
mother of delicate, high-strung child
say:
''Susie, go wash your face and hands
and then come and let me comb your
hair and put clean bib on you. Now,
do it right away. You know mamma
will get her stick off the mantel-piece
and whip if you don't mind herr
How did the child take this COM
mand? Oh, she instantly drew down
her brows and began to cry in pas
sionate manner. "See that" said the
young mother. ''That's the usual
scene when she has to wash or comb;
it is always accompanied with ahoWl.
I declare she is the most peevish, fret
full child I ever saw"
"Come to me, SUSIE" I said. Let
me wash your face and hands and
comb your hair. Twill do it SO nicely"
=" No, no." she sobbed. "You will
scrub soap in my eyes like mamma al
ways does"
Twill not" I said. "Just come
and we will make believe those two
little dimpled hands are little white
mice creeping out of the waiter to
nibble soap.'
She came in kind of hesitating way
I drew her upon my lap, and putting
her cunning little dimpled hands under
water, held the soap above them, and
lifting one of her hands, said, "Come,
mousey, and get some SOAP" rubbed
her hand with the soap, then puttingit
back on the dish beside me, cleansed
the little hand, calling it ''mousey,"
and telling her the other hand must
have some too, so it could look pretty
like that one. She was soon in high
spirits and thought it fun. when her
hands were wiped thoroughly dry, we
then prepared to wash her face, and she
again began to fret for fear we would
put soap in her eyes. 'sNo, we won't
put soap in those eyes," said. Let's
say they are two black mice that don't
like soap; we won't give them a bit.''
"All right" she said. EsEyes, you
can't have any soap, cause you cried
and don't like SOAP" We washed her
face all over, then dried it.
'tThis head looks like those mice had
slept in it last night. Now we will
comb it all out nicely, and the mice
will have to creep in a hole to- find
another bed"
She readily assented, and we soon
had it combed andplaited and the clean
bib on, and little Susie was in a geat
glee over the mice eating soap, and
having to hunt another sleeping place.
The work of washing and combing had
been play for her. The job that had
always been the mothers horror
was one that she had made so for her
self. 1t had never entered her mind
that there was pleasant way to do
disagreeable thing with her baby. She
tried too harsh a plan, and the child
rebelled against it.
We have seen many children stripped
in this way of all delicate sensibilities,
and their whole childhood one of cheer
lessness, being taught that they were
to obey just because they were COM
manded to do SO, and not any explana
tion given as to why they should.
Kindly explain to little ones why they
should do thing, and they are always
ready to obey; but do not seek to
drive them to dc your bidding, as that
invariably stirs up all the ugly temper
in them. Children are ever ready to
be guided, and should be taught in
kind way just what is expected of
them. Life.