The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-27
NURSE FOR THE CHILD.
Great Care Has to he Exercised in
Order to Select Right Person.
Boston Transcript.

Boston Transcript.
Too much cannot be said concerning the
necessity of using every possible care in
selecting a child's nurse, for the old saying,
Mothers eyes are baby's Skies" is very
true. and it is almost equally true of any
one who has the greater part of the care
OF a baby.
A child is sure to reflect, in "a greater or
less degree, the temperament Of those
about him. Slyness, unreliability and de-
eeit are often acquired by imitation long
before a child understands the meaning of
the words, or has any conception of even
the first principles of ethics. y deceitful
nurse will soon be discovered by baby
she cares for-and. naturally, the effect
upon the child of such discovery is most
disastrous. A nurse who promises and
never keeps the promise, who threatens
and never carries out the threat, is simply
training the child to falsehood.
All these things are daily lessons to
child, just as much so as if the teaching
were deliberate, and he will surely follow
them conscientiously, and carry them out
TO the best of his tiny ability. How can
he learn that promise has any value when
every day people promise him so many
things and never pay? lie can hardly be
blamed If he learns to lie when grown peo-
pie lie TO him about matters that are of
the utmost moment to him.
Honor, integrity and regard for property
rights are principles that become early
fixed on the eXqulSitely sensitive and re-
ceptive little mind, and the child who is
daily taught TO ignore them by the ex-
ample of those about him Will soon learn TO
pay no heed 10 their precepts. Such child
has a hard lesson 10 learn when school
time comes in later life.
Even paoy has his own point of view,
and soon learns to reason things out for
himself. and this is exactly as 1t should
be- From the first dawn of intelligence,
which comes long before he can talk, he
should be encouraged to think and see for
himself. In teaching him, he grows
older. be sure that he understands what he
sees or is interested in, not from your idea
OF a childs point of view. but honestly and
clearly.
Many little children are so taught that
they must learn everything a second time
after they have grown out of babyhood
Even their language Is warped by the con-
slant stream of baby talk with which
they are deluged by admiring family OF
an ignorant nurse.
1t is sad, but true, that one Of the first
lessons child ordinarily learns from his
nurse or his parents is falsehood The
teaching is by no means deliberate, for they
all condemn 1t severely and are uncon-
seious that, day By day, they are teach
Ing IT.
Poor baby innocent and trusting is given
medicine and told that it is nice; he takes
fl honestly and fnds IL nasty. VIII he be-
heve mother or nurse the next time2 Again
he begs for something he sees and is told
that II is bad, but little later, TO quiet
him, II he frets. he is given the thing he
wants. and finds it-nOt bad, but very nice
and desirable.
He Is told that he may go TO a certain
place at certain time: no provision is made
for that tiDe, and at last it is incOnvenient.
and the little one Is put of with slight ex-
cuse or none at all, and left with a dsap-
pointment ranking In his heart. All these
things are everyday occurrences in a child's
life, and they are not calculated 10 give him
very high code OF honor nor keen sense
OF right and wrong.
His first lie is taught him by the parents
or nurse. who sincerely wonder where the
baby learned to tell such stories
Tell only the plain truth 10 the child. and
take heed that you SOW no seeds OF distrust
or disbelief IN the little mind that looks TO
you. Promise only what can be surely and
soon fulfilled. Keep an engagement with a
child as carefully as with an older friend to
whom you would be most unwilling TO show
discourtesy.
Teach him, before he can talk the rights
Of others above al the rights OF property
for carelessness on this point causes tho
one great faiffr'g or the American child. IN