The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1907-03-29
MENTAL SUGGESTION
That There Is a Deal in Mental Sug-

suggestion used intelligently by the
mother is a most potent factor for good
as thereby the most willful child may
be made submissive; not by destroying
the will, but by directing it into proper
channels. Thru the same agency,
children may be cured OF bad habits,
undesirable traits, inattention to stud
les, etc.
The time to shape a character when
it is most suspectible to maternal infu
ences is during the natural-not hyp-
not-sleep of the child.
The general opinion is that person
asleep is, for the time being, dead to
the world; but a knowledge of the fact
that the subjective mind never sleeps
should make one careful of what he
says in the presence Of a sleeper.
Natural sleep is not condition of
insensibility to external impressions,
but rather a condition of inattention.
The sleeper hears, but he does not
heed at the time the suggestion is
made. 1t is not difficult to introduce
ideas to ones consciousness which
shall make a permanent and deep i'm
preston thru the subjective mind upon
the objective or waking mind.
Much depends upon the age and
the disposition of the child. No one
understands this better than its mother.
AS rule, the best way to approach
the child is to say, as it is about to re-
tire: Mamma is going to talk to you
tonight while you are asleep, and you
will hear and understand it all, but you
will not awaken"
Some children will, Of course, be
quite curious to know why you are 60
ing to talk to them, what you are 60
ing to talk about and why you don't
talk to them when they are awake.
In some instances the mother may
sit by the side of the bed and talk in a
general way to the child ere it sleeps.
Thus talking in a quiet manner, the
child, as a rule soon becomes drowsy,
and as it drops asleep the mother says:
This is mother talking to you. You
will sleep quietly. You are now very
quiet and restful. You can speak to
me without awakening. Do you hear
me talking to you now? Say Yes.
You will not awaken. Now l touch
your lips with my fingers and you can
speak. Say Yes, mamma, I hear
you -
You should not expect the child to
awaken, but should it stir uneasily and
open its eyes, the mother should not
relinquish her attempt, but gently close
the eyelids, at the same time suggest
ing again, Nothing will disturb you;
you will sleep quietly now, and hear
what mamma says, because it is all for
your good and you will be pleased
to do what mamma suggests" ."
1t is we'll if you stroke the child S
forehead gently, as this will have a
quieting effect and accustom the sleep
er to your presence. You should then
proceed with your suggestions of those
things that you desire to eliminate
disobedience, untidiness, idleness, un-
truthfulness, nail biting, lack of appli-
cation to studies, etc. whatever you
feel the child most needs. Speak
plainly, but quietly, yet with sufficient
positiveness to be impressive.
If you wish to exact promise from
the child you should say: I want you
to promise me that you will never -
- again. Say, l prom
Use you, mamma, that l never will "
You should repeat this several times.
have always found it most effective
TO use the first person, singular, thus
having the affirmative made by the
child instead of the mother saying, yor
will do this or you will do that. Tt
illustrate: IN do as mamma wants
me to; I'll not do anything to hur
mamma; I'll make everybody happy
by being good to them," etc.
these suggestions need not be confined
entirely to bad habits, but to physica
ailments and various bodily conditions
One of my pupils cured her little
girl, a very small child, Of enuresis
! TL;e rr,ae aacilv accomDlishAd ever