The Monmouth inquirer., 1896-11-12
TRAINING CHILDREN.
SENSIBLE THOUGHTS ON AN IMPoR-
TANT QUESTION.

When All Is Said, One Must Come to the
Conclusion That There Is No Set of
Rules Which win Apply, as Children
Differ Widely Through Nature.
Every one understands the way to build
a fire better than the one who is doing it.
So no one in the world understands man
aging children so well as the people who
have none.
"Why is it, was asked in a paper not
long ago. that mothers do not discipline
children more in private, so that the effect
Of this discipline may be apparent when
guests are PRESENT." .ghe writer of the
above quoted article then proceeded to re-
late her soul narrowing experience while
calling upon mother with six children,
and that the conversation was constantly
interrupted by Neddie, Neddie, Neddie,
don't darling or ssTommy, don't climb
up there; you will fall Look, Henriette,
at the baby, until finally the visitor left,
feeling her time had been wasted and If
the mother had taught the children to be-
have beforehand it would have been bet
ter all around. Now, it Is a self evident
fact that the writer of all this has no chill
dren, else she would understand how the
demon of mischief enters into them as
soon as company appears on the scene.
And q certain desire to "show off, also
runs wanton riot in their hearts. And all
the lines upon lines, precepts upon pre-
cepts, here a little and there vast deal,
are one and all forgotten or defied
AS far as possible, it is well to resist the
temptation to take children into room
with company. OF course they are the
cunningest and prettiest things In the
world, you think, but they will appear to
much better advantage all around If they
are kept in the background. Oh, know
this rule IS a hard one, but 1t will be inf
nitely better for the children and better
for the mother and perchance more agrees
able to the visitor, who may not be inter
ested In cherubs out of pictures.
English children are so much more
childish than ours, said an American
mother once s'I wonder why it is"
1t is undoubtedly because they are kept
in the nursery and do not come into prom
inence at so early an age as ours do. The
other day In a hotel rotunda stood a round
eyed darling with her short golden hair
fuffed around her winsome face Her short
wasted, long skirted frock added to her
men passing by stopped to speak to her.
She was the delighted recipient of nickels,
cards and bonbons, while she coquetted
with all the airs of society girl My
heart ached, for she was getting all the
sweet downy freshness of childhood rub
bed off so early. Her father, standing near,
encouraged her and laughed at her naive
questions and replies By and by the
white capped nurse came on the scene and
bore her child away, and she, loath to
leave the scene of her conquests, made her
exit biting kicking and scratching her
nurse, while the men laughed heartily at
this edifying spectacle.
There are some wise mothers who dis
courage and endeavor to suppress this pre-
cocity, but they are lamentably few in
number.
Another temptation to avoid is the con-
stantly recurring one to repeat the funny
sayings of,one's own children, especially
before them. A painful recollection occurs
of a nervous, only child whose active brain
led her often to make extremely bright
speeches, which were repeated with much
glee by her unwise mother, whether the
child was present or not One day after
this had occurred the child lifted up her
shrill voice from the corner of the room
where she was sitting and said. Go on,
mamma, tell 'em that funny thing said
the other day about Gody' The mother
was much shocked, and it is hoped profited
by the lesson this taught her.
Alas, the bringing up of children by
hand" and otherwise requires the wisdom
of Solomon, the patience of Moses and the
tact of Machiavelli. There is a certain
family, intimately acquainted with the
writer, composed Of two daughters. These
two are of totally dissimilar temperaments.
One is an active child, with a large head
and a gift of asking questions, many OF
which are posers.
Did you ever notice what u diversity OF
employments are required fer child OF
this description? A schoolteacher once
said that upon the introduction of child
with u large head into her school, she al
ways groaned in spirit; for it meant not
unusual brilliancy of intellect, but that
the child must be econsfantly employed. for
otherwise he would employ himself and
get into mischief untold, for such a child
must always he 6g.' {. something. Well,
the little maid Aforesaid often finds the
world sucked orange and repines bitter
" thereat If she Is admonished or disci-
plined for this, she sulks and, us a nurse
once called IL, nets up, = but If few min
utes' thought Ii given to providing some
thing for her to do she is content for
awhile This child has never been spoiled
by overindulgence, but occasionally she
bursts out In storm of temper that would
lead any one to think so, while her sister.
two years younger, was born good, always
does the right thing in the right way and
rarely has to be reproyed in any way. Ii
the younger child were the only one, the
parents would have the credit of being adj
miraoie disclpnnarlans-