Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-20
Work as a Soothing Element.

From liarper's Bazaar.
To soothe a nervous excitahle child b,,
work is generally considered unwise ANA
uhscientihc, while some ardent chtld-Iovers
80 YET iarther and call II downright cruel
~ but 10 one who has studied child ma
.ere thosghtfully and continuously the
iuea becomes reality. not an alarmin,
feofy, ana "a TACT which has been too often
overlooked by tender parents The admir-
is but a child of larger growth. and tho
state OF mind OF the average man. who,
Kept at home. away from his work. bui H.
I.slrates the point. oh, dear ] am iuss
worn our. said a wife to me Johns Of
nee was closed today because there WAS n
uea'h IN the hrm s family. and he's been ar
=. ms ne is SO restless and fussy tEat il
Just uses me up. He fixed up a lew little
,si ap ,Io uhe mouse, read his paper. and
tneh ne did not know what to do with him
s.i, ana did not, either. He scolded rho
chhGren, snapped at the cook and unset
,hiEgs generally. just dread these DAYS.
his wheel as being repaired or II y-u,lldn'r
man.
As with the restless man. so II is with
.iie chiid IN a lesser degree Play an the
ume and nothing else but play. unsettlcs
him and Keeps him ia a state of rsrxn,,s
excitement. The play can be changed with
the thought left as soon as l,gun and the
nervous energy flows off like the current of
80
by wholesome habits not by rewards ana
pehlshments, and one OF the first and most
healthful of habits is that of self-control
ana the power of concentration. When an
excitable child has nothing more To do ali
day long than play, the little fancy and
imagination spend themselves in ceas.less
chahSe- But II a little real work be gwen
The tiny mind must hold itself steady in or
DER 10 accomplish the task and during the
brief period the overstrained nerves get a
resi-. 10 he sure, the nerves are I'm use
while the little task is under way. but the
slight sustained effort has a tonic effec.
other faculties have chance to come INTO
play; which give the balance which pur-
peseiess play cannot give. The ambition is
stirred, the mind is steaded continuity of
purpose begins, and the excitabie nature
gets a short period of actual calm.
But, says the alarmist. you would not
nave a slender child like mine do any work.
The doctor says i must let her run wild till
she gets strong body, and then she will
learn fast enough"
Yes, L do mean that Just such children as
yours would be helped out OF their nervous
condition il they had work-study-of some
KIND. Granted il their play could freauent-
~ De guided by wise adult mind that the
same results could be gained: but IL is NOT
SO guided. and the play only aggrayates the
trouble. Of course the tasks must he
small, the lessons brief, but given carefully
ana gradually, the nervous system comes
uf der control, and result the bodily
health improves in a way that all the out
ooor exercise and medicine could not bring
about.
1t astonshes you? 1t has astonished 9TH
ers many times. and yet it is true, for I
nave watched the results many times. and
seen slender children grow strong. quiet
seh-controlled, under the power of work
ntted TO their strength. Do not wait too
long. This excessive excitability prous
arace. and every week increases the child's
lack OF polse OF body and mind.