The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-01-08
FAMILY
Obedience of Children the First ia
RcntfnI.

Obedience of Children the First rs
scntiai.
If one is bound to ruin his children,
the choice should be to do 1t by kind
ness, rather than by brutality; but
there is not the least need of hanging on
either horn of this dilemma. Let every
mortal child hat is brought into this
world be taught to obey it's parents; let
it be taught this while it is a little child,
rot hundred and petted to death then
and taught hundreds of tricks which it
nus afterwards be beaten to be broken
OF. II you can teach your child obedi-
nee without whipping him. so much
the better; don't whip such a child-it
Is cruelty; but if he won't fear nor
obey without stripes, lay them on; but
don't be looking and speaking blows ut
him for a week afterwards. While gen
tie, respectful and obedient children are
the sweetest things on earth, there are
few things more disagreeable and re-
pulsite than badly managed and unruly
children. No one can endure them, and
their parents are justly despised.
Once get that central idea of unquali-
fed obedience well grounded In your
family, and your government stands
firm. You need rot be all the time lay
ing on commands. Do not fetter your
children; within certain limits leave
them free; teach them that their rights
shall be just as much respected as your
own are; let them never have reason to
doubt that you owe them dearly, aud
that you punish them not for your WI
pleasure, or because you are angry and
can safely vent your passion upon them,
but for their good.
Children are clear-sighted and quick
feeling. They know we'll enough what
feelings are apparent in the minds of
those who correct them. and there Is no
possibility of beating q child when you
are yourself angry, or when you don't
care for the pain you irfict. without do
ing him an injury.
IT'S enough to make one sorry to hear
Of a new birth to reflect upon the wrongs
which childhood is heir to. Poor little
thingsi And yet they are almost always
set on a wrong track at the very begin
ming. Either by too much rlgor and Sc
verify or by a weak and Injudiclous In
diligence they are started wrong.
wrong. all wrong; and hard indeed is II
for them to right themselves when left
20 go on their way alone. If parents
would spare some OF their threats and
then perform what they promise. they
would find the benefit of it.
"You put your foot out Of doors, and
III whip you as sure rs you live" says a
mother to her little girl. Pretty soon
she sees Miss Lot out on the grass plot.
Out she flies and jerks the baby in
with
"What did I tell you? aren't you go.
ing to mind me? Now go out there
again If you think it's your best way"
Baby does think 1t is her best way.
for out she goes again. as soon as her
mothers back Is turned. After awhile
the Compromised whipping comes, but
baby is very much astonished at 1t. She
had no idea that mamma really meant
to do as she said. She had heard such
threats too many times when, like
many a low rumbling thunder-cloud.
they had passed harmless by.
1t Is a pity that mothers will teach
lessons of falsehocd to their lear chill
dren; but such a course as this does 1t.
Make your offspring believe thoroughly
in you; and 1t Is q long step, and o sure
one, toward their belief In God.-N. Y.
Ledger.