The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-01-12
Care and Training of Children.
ESSAY ny MISS IDA tEpRnuR.

children. Methinks hear someone say
"she is too young TO write on the sub
iect." Bnt dear friends, by reading and
studying we can gain a great deal Of
knowledge and valuable information,
which has cost some one great deal of
time and labor; thus you see we can in
form ourselves on subjects which inter-
est us. True have not had the expert
euce of tho care and training of children
that somo of the older ladies present here
this evening have had. but I love little
! children, therefore l gladly accept this
| opportunity to advance my ideas, which
may be meagre, on the care and training
Of children. OF all the grave responsi-
! bilities laid upon us that OF training little
ones is the greatest. Sometimes l think
we do not comprehend the greatness OF
| the work nor how far reaching its results
may be. We surround the little lives
with influences that aid in moulding their
characters and we install principles that
shall grow with their growth and make
of them virtuous, honorable and christ
ian men and women. But in all the
fellow man is the one who most readily
interprets him. The parent OF the child
| is in position to Judge of the characters
tic traits and peculiarities of tempera-
ment in the child. There can be no pos
tive rules laid down for the training of
children. The child is the only tex. book
that can he safely studied with reference
To- . L., Il.
families we find that the training of the
children is left entirely to the mothers.
Fathers are engrossed in business affairs
and take no time to enjoy home or chill
dreu and forget that the responsibility of
the future rests upon himself as we'll as
on the mother, but it is very true that
the mother can study the disposition OF
the children best, for she has them with
her always. But this does not excuse
the father from his part of the work. he
must remember that his influence is great
| Children cannot fail TO feel that they have
a right to do what they see you do, conse-
| quently it is of great importance to place
good example before your child. This
is far in advance of precept 1t has often
been said, and seems true, that they rare.
ly ever select the good traits for imita-
tion. Be careful that your conversation
| is pure; do not allow your child to hear
| gossip in your homes. for all too soon
will this come to its ear in the outside
| world. Profane language or slang should
never be uttered in the presence of child
rem. II by chance they should hear and
repeat such, do not punish, but tell them
kindly what they have done, make it
plain to them, not forgetting to explain
whose name they have taken in vain and
how this is forbidden. A quick temper
is one of the most unfortunate things
child is called upon to bear; now this can
be overcome if parents will begin at once
to avoid anything that will arouse this
nature, which should be calmed. not ex-
cited. The atmosphere of the home
should be one of peace, and no discord
| should be encouraged. Above all things
never give way to your own temper i'm
the presence Of your child do not prom
Use them punishment in state of passion
and then fail TO execute ii. Nor if it is
| If there is any other way (bstter way
perhaps) of correcting it avoid whipping.
not saying that this would never be nee
essary, but to make custom of it is to
harden the child, to make it cunning,
| fierce and resentful and yet not remedy
the defect in its character. Children
should be taught that they must not ap-
| -. I
the other. But how often we find this
the case, and as rule it is the mother
| that is in the fault here; she often thinks
that the father has been too hasty and
punished too severely, and is not slow in
letting him know it, either. But OH
what a mistake; how soon the little ones
| learn to know that mama is taking their
part. We fiud vast difference in the
characters and dispositions of these little
ones, and true, it is very hard to know
which is the best way to train them. A
| child of stubborn and hateful DISPOSE
tion and a passionate temper should be
taught that the governing power is tenn
pered and should be governed and
prompted by love and reason. But again,
this child may be unusually sensitive, he
may become angry over things which h
deems as his sacred rights, and this child
will be more injured than benefited by
the harshness and frmness necessary in
training the stubborn child. Teach it 10
rise above its sensitive nature and to
know that love is its portion. Perhaps
someone will ask, "when is the best time
for training?" / would say during tn
first three or four years Of their life you
can accomplish most, for then the little
child's mind is clear, having yet formed
no opinions of its own, and the habit OF
obedience firmly rooted then they will
never fail you in after years. And yet
we hear mothers say, "oh! the child is
too young to train now, let him have his
own way, (yes, and even give him look
ing glass and hammer, if he wants it,
when he grows older he will learn 10 do
better, 1 will teach him then that he can
, not always have his own way" But
! alas she will find it is too late, Tor as the
twig is bent so the tree is incliued and
the will when once fashioned may be
/ steady and constant for life, aud as youi
children go out into the world knowing
3 no will except their own they will finC
. that they are not capable of gaining re-
Il spect Of their fellow mortals, for self-con
troll in any way has never been taugh
I them and then will fhpV bepiu IN raa y.