Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-03-31
Sleep for Children.

S4SCP LII NuluIG0.
The real value of sleep TO growing bows
and girls can scarcely be overestimated
II parents felt the Importance of a good
ly number of hours sleep to their grow
ing children it would mean the establish
ment OF new habit of living in many
cases. The babies aud little children in
yell regulated household generally
have their maps or sleeping time svs-
/ tematcally arranged for them and q
good habit is established which gives a
basis for sound nerves and wholesome
bodies; but as a child grows older his
| nervous activity increases, and even
though he may feel bodily exhausted his
VIII together with his intense interest in
NE ana surroundings combine to keen
him awake. He will beg to remain with
his elders and to enjoy late hours even
when his weary head is nodding and his
tired eyes arc half closed and heavy with
sleep. When a parent consents to allow
cid TO dlSobey nature i'll this way the
overburdened strength must pay the pen
atty. In many cases irritability develops
when the tired body and strained nerves
are OTertaXed, and the child is brought
under strict discipline and maybe Sc
verely reprimanded. The result of the
punishment under such conditions merely
aggravates Il bad nervous state. and n
long line of evils follow. Almost any
child IS reasonable and manageable if he
is III normal condition, ana there is moth
ing so vital, so necessary in promoting
a natural healthy state of existence for a
boy or girl as plenty of good sleep
The public school of today necessarily
makes very strenuous demands upon its
pupils. A great deal is expected and de-
manded from these young minds and
bodies. Time is passing. New pupils
now occupy the room must move along
to make place for others. A certain
amount of work must be finished San
itary conditions are not always of the
best order in our SchoolFooms Over
worked teachers and overcrowded rooms
all have their effect upon individual work
and individual constitutions. Each child
bears Il part of the strain and feels the
evil consequences both physically and
mentally. These lesson days are not the
easiest to conquer, after all. The chill
dren struggle and battle with probably
as great difficulties taken proportion
ately) as their elders find in the conflict
with life in Il broader sense. Many a
tired little body succumbs to disease sim
ply because nature has been or a CON
slant strain for the few years of the
childs life.
Mental and physical growth may be
retarded by forcing 9 child beyond sim
pie natural ways. In some families the
children. after reaching 10 or l. years of
age, are allowed to attend evening par
ties They become excited and interested
in dress and display; their minds are di-
verted from their everyday work. 9th
ers are taken to places OF amusement
concerts and Enthusiastically denying
them the many needful hours of rest and
adding to their lives unnatural nervous
furious effect upon the child's health as
we'll as upon his mentality. Plenty of
sleep in we'll ventilated rooms where
fresh air prevails is more remedial to
any constitution than any kind or
amount of drugs. When we gaze into
the tired. careworn faces of many chill
dren who can be seen vending their way
10 school, arms loaded down with note
books, faces anemic from Oyer-fatigue
we cannot wonder that scarlet fever
measles and diphtheria reap such ravish-
ing results. and that teachers occasional
ly bemOan their fate. When children are
healthy, normal, and alert, all contract
with them, either rs parent. teacher or
friend, becomes a pleasure. But when
children are pushed or urged beyond
their strength their condition becomes
such that great patience and skill are
required in dealing fairly and justly with
them The work of development be-
comes qrduouS instead of pleasurable
Oliver Wendell Holmes said that a
child upon awakening i'll the morning
from healthy sleep in bad humor
needed u spanking. lie thought it very
beneficial, promoting q good circulation of
the blood. hut he added that q child who
was unreasonable and willfu after a
busy day was simply tired and should
be put 10 bed. Nature is the genuine
healer and sleep he true restorcr of all
our powers. Parents who realize this
can save themselves many anxious mo
ments, many heartaches. many doctor
bills and establish habtrS OF regular iy-
ing that viii bring forth good results
through a long line of offspring and gen
crations 10 come Every child requires
ut least ter! hours of sleep. aud it * a
good practice for him to continue sleeps
ing the fun ten hours an through the
school life. Work would thus be rem
dercd easier. health would be better and
yoUthfumeSs prolonged: many nervous
tendencies ana diseases would be- wiped
ont and clearer brighter mentality would
bc maintaincd.-EX Exchange.