The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-24

towel around his shoulders first SO as not
| To wet the clothing. Anger is really an
attack of the nerves in which we are only
I half conscious. 1t Ia nervous disease
1 The timid child Is so generally from TOO
much reflection His mind should be well
furnished with stimulating thoughts lie
should be we'll fed and his system toned up
by good regimen. not by drugs. he
ought to have cold baths. be well rubbed
with rough towels and alcohol and have
plenty of gymnastic exercise. Even the
use Of injections of serum are advisable.
that he may feel thoroughly alive. Cour-
age Is only optimism under another form.
Optimism is nothing more than arteriai
pressure. a feeling Of power. Remove the
fears,.. phantasies of the childish brain
by giving him healthier ones. Let him see
that blows are not so terrihlei after all:
he may be encouraged even to fight once
or twice Let him be ashamed of coward
ice. II properly nourished the nerve cells
and fibres will help on the work. He must
be accustomed to rather rough sports and
exercises, to train Elm to hardwood, ana
develop his muscles II is needless to re-
mark that the story telling of, fairscs who
| fill the minds OF their charges with giants
and dragons is utterly harmful But sup
pose the child cannot sleep. without
do so all at once. Reason with him. and
first make it very small. then let 1t come
from hall or other room through the
open door. If, as is sometimes the case,
the child complains of nightly terrors,
waking with a cry the cause Is either a
defect in digestion or in the nerves. Per
kaps he goes to bed too soon after supper,
or his nerves require tonic.
There are two kinds of lazy children
those who lack physical strength, pale
enernic; and others apparently liz good
health but actually not so. A child
whose stomach is dilated, arteriaI pres
sure lew. relaxed all over the body. Can
not study well. One hour of attention
is more than he can give. The cure for
laziness does not lie In cajoiery or threats;
where there is the least doubt as TO their
health. this should be first cured. But
in many instances child that is perfectly
normal who likes to read an interesting
book. will not study. Here comes the
larger question OF the studies and teach
ers. Are the studies interesting. or do
the teachers make them so? Often the
hours at school are too long, ar1 more
is asked Of the boy of eight than a nan
of forty could DO. Perhaps the child's
| attention has not been drawn to his work
If go. try to show him how its helps him
to understand life. or to do his work.
Let him be ashamed not to know what
younger children know, treat him reason-
ably, not brutality. and the lazy boy may
be made studious.
Most children are Hsrs Sometimes they
lie to escape punishment. Living for the
present they do not look to the morrow.
and If they can only postpone the EVIL
that is motive sufficient. The spoiled child,
accustomed to mix in the conversation OF
his elders. lies to attract attention Fear
of not pleasing. desire to justify them
selves. vanity, all contribute to making
the child lie. They act on impulse, sac
ing the success of the moment, rather thsn
fral right. How to cure it is a difficult
question. Search and Try your children to
see whether they tell the truth. Make !
them ashamed to 90 therwise Try to COR !
rect them quietly and reasonably; and. |
above all, give them good example in !
this respect daily. Let the child know at |
once that lying is useless, dangerous, ri |
dculous, and low. At bed time is a coed I
time to impress upon its mind the enormsty |
of the crime of lying done that day, tut |
let it be done affectionately and sympa- |
thsically.
4 child cannot be well brought up either |
with continual caresses or perpetual bull I
lying. Treat the child more as an equal. |
whose obedience you demand on reasonable |!
grounds. because you are older and know |
iLiOit tLsili ut NOtSs Nobpti OucuitHSC
by showing him the bad results OF his dis |
obedience. But at the same time let his |
personality have play. SO that he may |
learn to do for himself as much as pos
sible. Let him feel free. so long as he does
right. As to punishments. It Is not on
record that anyone was ever improved by
barbarity. Depriving a child Of hts walk
or making him study by way Of punish
ment gives him distaste for what he
should like or deprives him of the air he
needs. Il Is no cure for nervous children
to be so frightened that they trembIe more
at fear of punishment than from the tear
ing of their nerves. Tho truth is that the
reasonable child treated reasonably re-
quires little or no punishment. Rather talk
to child than beat him. Let him see
that he was wrong to do what he did, and
he will remember this better than the
beating.
The general rule for the training OF
children is to use your common sense, to
work in the interest of the child to cure
it physically. and then you reach the soul.
Keep it healthy in body and mind and
you cannot fail to have good. If not a
great, son or daughter.