The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-01
The Training of the Child
BY MRS. REBEooA HAs1pDEN.

ened if their children are grounded in
habits of self-reliance and helpfulness,
which means that they will not ony
be good, but good for something in
later life.
Mistake of Mothers.
1t is a great mistake for a mother
to wait upon her children for every
little thing they. desire. 1t makes a
slave of the mother and tyrants of the
children. If, instead of the mother
running to their assistance every time
they cry, Where is my hat?" or
"'Where is my doll?" they are gently
but firmly told that they must be re-
sponsible for their own things, they
will soon learn to rely upon them
selves more.
Nor should parents always decide
questions for their children by an
emphatic Yes" or mo" Children
should be taught to use their own
judgment in matters which they can
suggestions as to why 1t is not a good
plan for Mary to play in the snow
when she has cold and then appeal
to the judgment of the child, who will
usually decide the matter for herself
in the right way.
Or the mother may give Mary an
object lesson by offering her a choice
of two ways of action, the child to as
sumo the responsibility of that action.
Make the Child Understand.
In this case, the mother must make
the child understand the subject thor
oughly by a careful explanation, at the
same time Installing into the child's
mind the idea of thinking and acting
for herself.
In addition to this the child should
be taught that she is a perfect whole,
and that her brains were given her to
use just as much as her hands were
The mother will also make her under
stand that she has no right to wear
others out in thinking and deciding
questions for her which she must learn
to decide for herself. But at the same
time she should be taught to seek adj
vice from older people and to listen
respectfully to their opinions; and
then, after thinking over the matter in
question, to rely upon her own judg-
ment in deciding it.
AS to the much mooted question,
Should boys and girls have their own
allowance, in proportion to the means
of the parents, as soon as they are old
enough to know the value of money?
this is what many parent has said
in substances:
Certainly. An allowance is the
best safeguard against the habit of
extravaganza if the child is taught to
spend the money judieiously and to
| keep a strict account of all expendi-
lures. 1t is absurd to think that boy
is not capable of buying his own neck
ties or girl her handkerchiefs. What
If they do make mistakes? They can
be taught to profit by them, and they
must learn to rely upon themselves
sooner or later. Children like to be
trusted and will seldom betray con-
fidence."
Teach Him to Think.
Then, too, as soon as they are old
enough, children should be given little
tasks to perform, letting them figure
out for themselves the best way in
which to accomplish them. For in
stance, they may have their own gar
den plot where thy can till the soil
and SOW their seeds and potter to
their hearts content, without inter-
ference from their elders.
The trouble with the average mother
is that she is apt to put the child
off with, wait until you are older"
If the little girl wants to learn how
to bake a cake the mother, with a
dread of the muss and the time to be
consumed, says, Some other day."
and the simple wish remains ungrati-
| fed.
All this is discouraging to the child
who is anxious to learn how to ex-
press herself in some handiwoTk
which she can call her own.
The Kindergarten.
Fortunately, the kindergarten and