The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-14
FOR FEMININE READERS
NERVOUS AND TIMID CHILDREN ARE
TOO OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD.
The Servant Problem Being Studied
ScientifcaIly-Work Is the Com
mon Lot Of Men and Women.

In his children stories Kipling says:
''Only women understand children thor
oughly but If a mere man keeps very quiet
and humbles himself properly and refrains
from talking down to his superiors, The
children will sometimes be good TO him
and let him see what they think about the
world. But, even after patient investiga-
ton and the condescension of the nursery,
1t is hard to draw babies correctly
1t is true. comments a writer in the
Philadelphia Press. that where a man must
wonder in this regard mother will step
in and understand. Otherwise the great
men and good women of the world would
not exist. and the old world would have
less record of noble deeds than it shows
to-day.
But in spite Of this quick mother SOUL
the fact remains that thousands of little
ones grow TO manhood and womanhood
without for moment being understood
thoroughly, without knowing the entire
sympathy which can develop the blossom
Il believe" laughed a young father the
other day, that if / found anyone fore
ing my young ones into the dark
used to be forced L should murder that
individual upon the spot. My own tortures
remain with me too wildly for that. AS d
child l was of frightfully nervous tenn
permanent. My people being all sturdy
healthy beings, could not understand
nerves in boy. They ridculed the thing
openly. Endeavored in all possible ways
to harden me- One of my fiercest trials
was descending TO the cellar to bring VI
apples. My family were New Englanders
and used to eat apples during the even
ing reading circle. OF course, when the
apples were to be brought L was dispatched
TO the cellar. The agonies L underwent in
going up and down that dark stairway
have determined me 10 spare my own
youngsters all similar fluctuations.
What a ridiculous thing Ii is this pro-
cess OF hardening" as ii is understood
Hardening" is certainly desirable, The
strengthening of the chlid's physical pow
erS, quoting his nervous system ana deVel-
oping his reasoning powers. But these ends
We're never yet accomplished by adding
new shocks to a frail constitution. 1t is
claimed by those women with whom child
study is d life work, that child who from
babyhood has been understood Will moi
know the meaning of nervousness or fear
The true problem of the matter lies in
the case of the child who has been misun-
derStood and has become a victim OF ner-
vousness. What can be done to bring him
to a rational view? Gentleness and patience
are the only means possible. Don't ridicule
his pecially before strangers. DOM
refer to il at all. Treat him as If in every
respect MS Nalor equaleu yours Ion [ SenC
him upon missions which, on account OF
nervousness, he breads. Trust to time and
development. which are powerful and
blot out many fears.
The nervous child should be protected
from all shocks; all sudden excitements and
terrors contain poison as subtle as the mi.
crobeS Of contagious disease. The thought
less practical jokes which older children
will play at times upon the young and
timid should be guarded against. "OlC
wives tales, Shakespeare calls them
have often bad influence upon a nervous
young one The healthier children can cas-
off the effect of these bloodcurdling yarns
But 10 the frail little people this is wei
nigh impossible. Any man or woman who
in childhood, loved old family nurse
will remember that there Is no tale of medi
cal clinic. of graveyard, of spirit worlt
and of strange coincidence in which these
old people are not adept.