The record-union., 1899-09-24

not manifest these qualities the fault
| is not ours.
Fear and compulsion, unless directly
under the lash, will lead US to crawl
| like snails Love and sympathy, gem
tleness and affection, will make us run
like hares to do your bidding.
| Do not imagine that by constant
| fault-fnding you are likely to keep us
from getting vain, or that, by endless
nagging you will lead us to avoid our
mistakes. Please remember that, like
/ yourselves, we are the roughly human,
and that, like yourselves, We hunger
after praise and words of encourage
ment.
Have you forgotten how, in childhood
years, a few words of kindly apprecia-
tion would brighten up your whole day
and spur you on to higher efforts and
better conduct? Well, human nature
has not since changed. The same laws
of cause and effect still prevail, and if
you wish to add to the sunshine and
happiness of our childhood days, do
not hesitate to say kind approving
words whenever we deserve them.
Above all things else, be honest with
US. Do not, for your own good, in any
way, try TO deceive us.
To succeed as a parent, you need our
! fullest and most implicit confidence.
! The shock to US is very great when
we discover you have deceived u.s. We
can never again have that feeling of
complete trustfulness in you which be-
| fore existed.
Be truthful with us. If our youthful
inquisitiveness prompts US to ask
| questions concerning things it is not
wise for us to know, do not try to
evade our questions by falsehood; tell
us frankly that it is a matter you can
not explain until a more proper time
Do not lead us to believe that you are
all-wise and all-knowing. Some day
we shall discover how ignorant you are
in many directions and how you tried
to hide your ignorance by giving wrong
information. The discovery will lower
you much in our estimation as a pos
SCISSOR of knowledge and as a speaker
OF truth. Be honest with u.s. and when
you do not know, frankly and humbly
| confess your ignorance, and endeavor
| to better inform yourself so that you
! may be more able, at some future
| time, to give the desired information.
Be slow to make threats and never
| punish while in anger. To do so is to
be unjust. Anger exaggerates the
fault and leads to the inf1iction of pun
ishment out of all proportion to the
misdeed
Be gentle with us. Chastise us only
| as last resort, when reason has
failed and kindness has failed. Never
! forget that once upon a time you also
were children with all the weaknesses,
failings and thoughtlessness of child
hood. Be patient and forbearing Re-
member there are those who can win
our obedience and devotion. If you fail
in this, it simply exposes your unfit
ness as a parent
Be slow to make promises. Never
| make rash promise and never one
that you do not intend to keep. Let
your word to US be sacred, and, at
whatever cost, let it be faithfully OBJ !.
served. In no way can you better re-
tain our respect than by being faithful
to your own word. Make us feel that
you are to be depended upon and that
your promises, for veal or for woe. are
sure to be fulfilled.
Though our years have been short
and few and our world experiences
brief, yet God seems to have given US
an instinct which quickly enables us
/ to measure and to know you; and woe
to your peace of mind and happiness if
we find you unreliable and untrue to
your word Your threats will then
carry with them no terror and your