Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-10-08
Careless Talking Before Children.


Careless Talking Before Children.
Sometimes, in a burst of confidence,
parents will admit that their baby is
hot as pretty rs it might be, but who
ever heard one confess that theirs was
not brighter than the average? Invari-
ably they exclaim. Its just the smartcst
little thing! 1t understands every word
YOU say This last is a bit of parental
imagination. but they proceed to talk
about it before its face and keep it up
long after the child does understand. The
results are many and all bad
n human being, large or small. made
the center Of admiration and the sub
jet of conversation soon feels important
ana develops an egoism which is dis
agreeable in child and disgusting in a
grown person. The world revolves
around no one of us. Yet many and
many Il frsthorn is given that impression
and is ready to kill the little second
conner that seems to push him off his
pedestal. | wonder if this was not the
basis of the trouble between Cain and
Abel, the real cause of the worlds first
murder.
No one agrees with the deluded parents
il thinking that the baby, or amy baby.
for that matter, understands every
Ablh btiDit II GdU Ink. nut II STUDENT
of child nature kGows that little ones
do understand long before they are treat
ed i'll most homes as rational beings. 1t
Is Il gradual growth. of course. as every
thing healthy is, and so parents aceus-
toned to their presence rs babies. forget
the dawning intellect and 90 on CON
Versing as though they Were stone deaf.
They are supposed to know what is said
to them, but not what is said about
them.
Because they do not comprehend the
whole import of Il remark is no sign
that they do not take in some part of
il. and often a part is worse for them
than the whole would be. "A little
knowledge is Il dangerous thing. even
down to bits of sentences.
If interested at all. bright little brain
will ponder over a word or phrase. build
ing necessarily upon the knowledge it has.
diStorting the truth and mystfying itself
Mothers would often be Mortified could
they but know the strange things con-
c0cted by the imaginations of 2-Ycar-old
children and believed implicitly by them.
This | am sure of, remembering my own
wild fanceS. Nor can it be helped alto
gcther. y child, like grown person.
must correct its own brain-errorS
Nevertheless. trouble comes from its
mental flights that often affect NOR" than
a child. For instance, parents freely dis
cuss their neighbors over the breakfast
table. surprising the baby to be interested
only in its oatmeal. Chagrin is the least
of the results when the child repeats
thcst. remarks to the ncighborS them
selves. or asks for information concerning
their domestic affairs, personal matters,
and so ON. As newspaper jokes these
are very funny. but they are not caicu-
lated to promote peace among men nor
good will among women.
And back of this aspect is the sad
fact OF such thoughts III Il pure little
aind. How long will it stay pure with
lessons of gossip taught each morning
over the breakfast table Thus at home
they get their first inkling of things that
the parents instantly declare to he the
result of a visit from that bad little boy
down the street, and are shocked to ind
them knowing.
Bad as this is in mary cases, discussing
children's traits and dispositions before
their faces is worse have had moth
or say 10 me. Il cant govern Mile nj
all. She is SO headstrong. Whercupon
the .:S-yrar-old smiled knowingly, and q
week aftcrward informed me that she
,yoIld have my knife because she was
''headStiff." She understood as wei rs
did
talk of their little girl as an angel
about ns fallen" Il manner az the first
angels we read about.
Talking of child before its face relf-
lcrS 1t sclf-conscious and self-inportanf.
Tn. remarks have also Specific effects.
+ they are fiattering, is they usually arc,
!, ue:I,.ock vanity IS developed: If dis
paTaging. they cause bad temper or are
cherished ana emhitter the littlp lif".
Each nature has its peculiar needs and
weak places 81 that what hurts one may
loo good medicine for another in most
matters hut not 50 Ia this. II = a mis-
take in all cases. no matter what Is said.
II i no uncommon thing 10 meet 4
vrar-old child that is simply u bundle of
vanity. already ruined for life. Its fu-
ture i written in its very walk and is
present j. sadly married. for u child :
chief beauty il it, amcaH>iouSncsS 90
beauty.
The whole trouble wouid be- obviated
# we grown people would remember that
LITTLE folks have quick ears and brains as
busy - the:v l.aaics Our words are
>bapiug plant hyes every time we come
near them There j. no eNl'u~" whatso-
ever for ouf ihoHghtleSSueSs New Idea
WamaH> Magazine.