The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-18


who are older than himself. Is this rightg
Is !. best! VIII 1t not produce a slavish
feeiing which will greatly injure the child's
character Let it be agreed that every
child should give respectful consideration
10 MS ELDERS, because of their age and ex-.
perience Let all acknowledge that no child
should fail to show most respectful rever-
ence toward his grandparents, and his
o'her relations. However, in spite of this,
IL would seem best that the. child should
NOT ieei the absolute necessity of giving
implicit obedience to any save his parents.
or to those acting in their stead
Wnile, with young children, the fear of
punishment and the desire for reward must
De used to secure obedience, they should be
replaced by higher incentives as soon as
IT Is possible to do so. BY the time the
child has reached the age of six or seven.
IT may be explained that obedience is more
necessary in children than In lower animals.
They may be told that lower animals arrive
at maturity in short time, and, because
OF instinct, they are able to take care of
themselves quite early in life 1t is not SO
with children. To them God has given but
little instinct. In place of instinct He has
gwen them a wonderful power of improve
ment. In few days the young bird is
able to leave the nest and no longer re-
quires the care of the parent bird. Not so
with the child. Years of patience kindness
and care are spent in supplying the wants
of children. Many nights of terrible anguish
are spent by many In watching over a child
before ii is safe to trust it TO go out to
| fight lifs's battles. BY such explanation. and
by such means, the child may be taught
that the experience and wisdom of the
parent is certain TO be more reliable than
that of the child
Many other methods of securing obedience
VIII suggest themselves TO the thought
ful parents AS has been said 1t is of the
| greatest Importance that the habit OF Civ
| ing prompt obedience should be firmly es-
| tablished in the early years. Great care
should be taken in selecting other methods.
| The method decided upon should always be
the highest which will appeal TO the child.
/ However. parents should guard against
| selecting those which are beyond the child.
Results will be most satisfactory IL the
| parents acts are such as to impress the
child with the fact that the parent is the
| persOnification of unchanging justice, tenn
pered with mercy.
ONE CERTAIN METHOD.
Most of all that has been said upon ODE
dence might have been left unsaid if il
had been certain that parents could all fol-
low one little rule. which it is believed
would result in training most young chill
dreR into habits of obedience. The great
| objection to this rule. as to most others. is
that it demands perseverance and invaria-
bleness. such as but few are able to COM
! l. 81; fol, 10
always reward proper action and never fail
TO punish. in some slight degree, every act
of disobedence. Could anything be more
simple? Oh IL parents could only under
stand how little punishment will keep nearly
any child in the right path. IL only the pun
ishment is certain The child who feels GER
tain that every act of disobedience will be
followed by some little privation, or con
siderable inconvenience, will hesitate about
refusing TO obey. II only the child could
feel sure that matter in how good z
humor the parent may be. the result will be
| the same, the influence would be entirely
different. The punishment would seen
greater than the pleasure secured By The
| act OF INSTRUMENTATION.
II is really wonderful 10 observe how
much easier il is for children of som'
| parents TO obey than IL is Tor others. Il
carefully analysed the difference will b'
| apparent to all. one parent will come upoI
the child. and I'm harsh tones order the
child TO stop in the midst OF a game and e
right 10 bed Is IL any wonder that suci
lack of sympathy and kindness raises al
the opposition there is in the child nature
Another parent will give a little time b,
saying. ut is almost time to stop now
however. you may finish your game II yo'
wish" The first parent will not only great
; " increase the disappointment which tn
child naturally feels, but will also give
sudden shock TO tie child's nervous sys
tenn Even the slight delay granted by tn
| second parent will greatly soften the pain
and make the act Of compliance with hi
wish much easier than il would otherwis
no. II may seem that this is weaken
ing of the parents authority. Such is no
tho case. The submission to the authorit
is az complete ten minutes later, as at IN
time of speaking. However, great car
sbould be taken TO see that when the tim
cannes. the obedience is prompt aud absc
. Lutte. WILLIAM d
Elizabeth. y. j.
g SIumber Song.
e See the fire phantoms dance.
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