New-York tribune., 1907-09-04
CHILDREN'S LIES.
Parents Usually Responsible for a
Chld's UntruthfuInesS.
BY \. VI. " heat.

The father Of a family Of five young chiIoren
once declared that children were horn mars anu
that no dependence whatever could be piaceo oh
their word This is absolutely untrue. II MS eN-
-fsrca nth his own children has been such as %
a,sA him to believe this him must be given the
full credit for the conditions
There are parents who teach their children that
truth Is good and be desired that lie ls eVl'
and 70 be avoided and then consider their duty IN
this respect is done They expect those children 70
show q discretion that they themselves do not pos
sess-to withstand temptation. TO brave pam "
pInishrnent-all because they have been tola run
e pood And when the child. with that instinct
that nature has provided first aid to seIt-
,reear,a+ion decides between the truth that ought
m b good and the retribution that often waits on
its heels and positively Is not go2d, me parl pnca
ditionaiiy that ali children liars.
tI,iTfEnI SblIdren arc creatures OF environment;
Surround them with atmosphere o. thouehuitti eit
honesty Let each tiny action bear ITS oWh i llqit'
and YOU will be astonshed to find what thougnt..
ful honest and truthful little ones you nave fus s
Them on the other hand. into an atmosphere OF
@nss+onalisrn or thoUghtless Indifference to facts
@ am you r" WI tba " color Of these surroundings Chill
drer are naturally earnest and eager 10 pedse anu
sb,,sa the trust and confidence that they place IN
in order TO obtain the happlest results ol our
know mother who has taken infinite pains to
teach her little the and beauty OF truth
fuInegs and she has been successful Yet TO-DAY
she IS pulling the whole beautiful structure OF her
building to pieces. The little chap who Is OF an
extremely nervous temperament has contracted
1,al,f- While hfs IS determined Shau ne
broken. The strength Of his BABY teacIlns slli.
cIings 10 him and he is t-uh in spite OF the tact
that the troublesome habit seems beyond his power
TO conquer and that truth has frequently proved .
certain means Of punishment The only PROOF tLat
the mother often has Of his transgresslon is Dc
pendent upon the statement or the cllld hilstII;
f-arb dav he brought before her and questlonefl
definitely. Always ne admits his wrongdolnG, ana
ALWAYS severe punishment follows. This inother Is
concentrations and loves her child dearly, yet she
rails to recognize behind the fault that she hnds 40
oFroxio1Is a mower that IS stronger than the child
only a question time before he Will appreciate
that he can control the punishment by mere
evasion Of tho truth or that by the use OF direct
faIsehood he may Yield to the temptation that IS
irresistible and still escape the consequence OF hls
action If this mother would only realize that
until his nervous system IS better fortified he can
NOT thoroughly command himself, how great
wrong might he eVerted! =.
One charming woman who is an ardent lover OF
children maintains stoutly that children do not
C1afns with no intent really to isrepresent things
This NAV be in n measure But there is one
thing that renders the habit an undesirable one
a,-an under such circumstances Children grow to
adults and often retain that same habit. only
society does not call II imagination then. not by
Abnornnally sensitive to suggestion and inagina-
tion themselves il is easy for children to weave
suggestions Of what might be into their own
bnoyrledge of facts. So often out Of the growth
81 come or all of these youthful prevaricatons is
born another-the most fearful and troublesome
of all. In the parlance OF medical science II Is
known as hysterical lie. and 1t IS the greatest
maker Of mischief that the world will ever know,
tionalisrn In the child It is responsible for all
sorts OF monstrous statements and charges: in the
adult for all sorts of extravaganza that incite
demonstration even TO mob violence