St. Tammany farmer., 1905-09-30

| Home Health
Club
By navI0H. REEDER. ri. o., n. D.
La Porte, Ind.
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Some OF those who have SO chill
| dren may begin to think am paying
q great deal of attention to the little
folks; but there are many young moth
ers, and older ones, too, for that mat
ter, who anxiously study everything
that will aid in the better development
Of tbs children. OF course, can't
say to those who are looking for
something else that: you may be a
child yourself some time," but can
say you may have child Of your own
some time, and then you will gladly
turn to these lectures.
The health Of the little ones is really
of more importance to the nation than
that of its grown people, for upon
them depends the future welfare. Of
the people. A shrewd priest once said:
Give me the religious teaching of the
children until they are ten years old,
and care not what religion is after
ward taught, they will always be Of
my faith" ~
So say, give me the physical and
,dietetic training of the children from
one year before birth until they are
ten years old, and will cover this
broad land with the happiest race of
physical and mental giants that can be
found upon the face Of the globe.
say one year before birth advisedly,
because am firm believer in the
power Of prenatal influences.
1t is rather amusing to read some
of the directions given for the feeding
and care of children in some Of the
works put forth as authorities. One
very pretentious work, and one which
as a rule, is very good, says In one
paragraph, that after 18 months Of
age the child can have portions of rare
roast beef, roast lamb, broiled mutton
chops or beefsteak, white meat OF
chicken or turkey, and fresh fish. A
little farther on, and in another
paragraph, he says that a child Of
three or four years old may be al
lowed a piece Of ripe pear or plum or
strawberries, but that bananas and
cherries should be forbidden. Now,
just imagine rugged, healthy child,
such as one trained according to the
Home Health club method must be by
the time it is four years old, being
allowed a ''piece" Of such fruit, or for
hidden ripe cherries or bananas! I
can imagine the feeling Of the average
child at being offered piece OF the
fruit instead OF the whole.
Moreover, think Of feeding 18-months-
old babies such meats, or, in fact, any
meat at all. They are much better OF
without it. But don't deprive them Of
a generous supply of good, wholesome
ripe fruit II it is allowed them
everyday, they will never overeat OF
that, any more than they would of
bread and butter-that is, il they are
taught to eat properly and at proper
times.
It is true the best fruits for children
are oranges, cooked apples and
steWed prunes, and as these can nearly
always be obtained, there is no reason
why the little ones should be deprived
of them-and especially of the prunes,
which I consider one OF the cheapest,
best and most wholesome fruits to be
obtained In North America.
Whole wheat bread, rice and prep
arations of cereal foods should enter
largely into the diet of the growing
child, and the necessary fats be sup
piled in the way OF cream and Lutter
At the. age OF four years the growing
child should be allowed about four
meals per day, beginning at seven a.
m, then at 10:30, 1:30 and p. M. the
first meal to be largely OF fruit fol-
lowed by cereal breakfast food, light
ly sailed, and served with cream, q
little bread and butter II desired, and
a glass of milk; the second meal
should consist OF a bowl of soup and.
a slice of stale bread, lightly buttered;
for the third meal something more
substantial may be given, with fruit
for dessert; while the evening lunch
should be of whole wheat bread with
milk, or milk toast.
Children like "goodies" ST. am sure Of
that; speak from personal experience
therefore, as the children who have
followed the Home Health club
regime are now healthy, robust little
one, there must be provision made for
satisfying their demand for some Of
the good things.
The lectures on the subject Of In
FAINT feeding and also for feeding chill
dren after the period Of infancy, must
now come to close, for the child that
has been cared for according to the
methods taught in the preceding lee
lures must certainly have developed
into quite strong, robust, healthy
child, with vigorous appetite, and q |
stomach that will care for the good,
healthful food with which 1t is sup
piled.
But there are many hundreds of |
thousands-yes, millions-of children
who will never receive the advantages
that might be theirs did their parents |
but know of the club work. Each MEM
ber or student should, therefore, al
ways be prepared to aid the suffering
and helpless ones, in case Of emergen-
cy, for these little ones will, sooner
or later, suffer from the various ILL.,
nesses which it is supposed all chill
dren must pass through.
Dont's for Young Mothers.
Don't do everything for the baby
that everybody recommends.
Don't dose it with soothing syrups.
Don't give peppermint tea for its