The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-21
PROPER WAY TO REAR THEM
HOW MOTHERS MAY MAKE HOME
ATTRACTIVE TO THE CHILDREN.
How English Women Diet-Appropri-
ate DecoratiOn-A Good Correspond
eDce PIan-Earache in Children
Physical Culture of Children.

There has come to our house a little
dimpled burden and blessing combined.
making four minds 10 train, four souls 10
be kept pure How is this TO be done?
There seem TO be two eXtremities, and
one Is as dangerous to the child as the
other. One mother allows her child to
roam the streets at large-the second re-
quires her children TO stay at home with
out putting herself to extra trouble to
make home attractive. Both love and
intend to do we'll by their children, but
don't stop to think seriously why it is
their children prefer the streets or how
the home could be made the more at
tractive of the two. It does not require
many toys or luxuries. Is it toys the
child seeks on the streets? Give the
child cart-load of toys and leave it TO
itself. and it will soon tire of them.
What IS the great street attraction
Mothers. stop and think What can it
he? IT is simply this: A mind stronger
than the chiid's. a stronger mind that
lends new ideas TO the weaker. and these
ideas are eagerly grasped and held by
the little one, be they good or bad. This
is why child had always rather play
with q child Older than itself. The
stronger always attracts and influences
the weaker.
Now that we have found wherein lies
the street attraction, let us find the
wherewith TO make home more attractive.
This seems easy, especially since nature
has kindly given the child a love for
mother. home and its own toys Surely
the mothers mind is stronger than her
Child'S or theSstreet urchin's. If SO, then
home can be made the more attractive
by the mother becoming Interested in
that which interests the child MANY
cry out. Il haven't time to invent new
plays for my children. 7 can't stop my
work TO play with them"
You VIII not have 10 stop your work
long. In fact, YOU will not be stopping
your work at all. for isn't the watching
over and training Of your children the
most necessary and sacred of all the
work that the Father has given YOU?
Take a few boards and outline a play
house, as near where YOU work as post
sible. for the little girl. Give her a box
or two, some broken dishes. her doll and
q few general directions. Show the lit
tie boy where and how TO make his barn
and corrals. Give him some stick horses,
string harness and a box wagon. Tell
them that Mrs. -- must really go home
ask them TO call en- you. then go about
your work, and they Will go about their
play with VIII. never thinking Of the
streets, and viii be as happy as larks
and as busy as bees for three or four
days providing that YOU suggest some
thing new once IN awhile and call on
them at least once a day.
Take your book or paper when YOU call
on them. and do your suggesting when
they call on you. and ask questions
which will cause them TO think of some
thing new to do. For instance: Ask
the little boy If his horse is sick He
viii say yes and start out in less than
a minute To doctor him. Ask the little
girl If she has cleaned house lately. and
she will commence at once TO change
everything in her playhouse.
You have your children so near you,
you can hear and see what they are do
ing. and should you hear or see anything
wrong call them 10 you at once and cor
rect that wrong before il has time 10
take root in the heart. Your children
will have plenty of company if you will
allow il, and really thing il best. pro-
viding YOU have it positively under
stood that no bad language or miscOn-
duct can be INDUCED in on your prem
ises. In three or four days the children
viii need a complete change. Let a hur-
ricane pass over their house and bArns.
You sympathize greatly with them and
suggest new buildings. churches, school
houses or anything new. As they grow
older. this same stronger mind. widen
ing out to more intelligent things and
always keeping the lead. will hold the
youths and maidens rs well as the child.
Minneapolis HOusekeeper.