The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-04-04
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BY SONORA SARA.

ne UTSt itSSoIl " Nhiiui Si
should be obedience. They can learn
and understand it at much earlier age
than most mothers suppose. Speak firm
" and let the little one know YOU eX-
pect to he obeyed. Never tell your
children that they will not mind OF
that you never saw such bad children
This will certainly make them disobe-
dent and reckless. Once let little
child know that you do not expect him
to obey you, and you may look for i'll
subordination as a matter of course. A
little loving faith in the child'S good
impulses will be far more effectual than
the announcement that you expect him
to do wrong. The stubbornness and
disobedience of child is often caused
by nervousness and excitement as much
as and more than by wickedness, and
should be treated accordingly. To gain
obedience you must first set yourself to
deserve it. Whatever you promise. how
ever small the thing may seem to You
and whatever trouble it may cost you.
perform it. Never let the doubt enter
Your childs mind that YOU say what
you do not mean or will not act up to
what you say.
Make as few prohibitory laws as you
possibly can, but, once made, keep them.
In what is granted, as in what is denied,
compel yourself, however wearied, wor-
ried or impatient, TO administer even
handed justice always. This is a system
far more likely to secure your childs
real affection and respect than all the
petting and humoring SO generally in
dulged in. And it should be remem>
bcred that harsh words and harsh re-
quremerts have many time alienated
a child,S feelings and crushed out all
love of home.
Never accuse your little one of a fault
unless you are certain he committed
. At. Children are keenly sensitive to any
injustice and should never be treated
with suspicion. We should act towards
them in this matter as we feel we ought
to act towards others, only with greater
tenderness. Teach that it is more i'm
portant to do what is right than to gain
wealth, influence or fame
If you can afford them nothing else.
give your children a good education. A
trained mind goes thru life and is not
convertible. Give them good schools.
good books and the purest general read
ing matter. even if they have to do
without other things, and to secure
right direction to educated minds give
them by word and example good princi-
pies.
All true mothers will agree that moth
ing can be of more importance than
the teaching and training of our chill
dren. And mothers are decidedly fool
ish. to say the least, who will trust their
little ones entirely TO the care of nurses
or allow them to spend the greater part
of their time with servants. Many
woman has wept over the sins of her
child, little dreaming that while she
pursued her round of pleasures that
child was taking its first lesson in sin
from the example of an unprincipled
nurse. Undoubtedly at times they are
very troublesome and their constant
questioning often becomes tireSome-i
they should certainly be taught not to
interrupt conversation in company-buti
by giving due attention to these trou-
bIesOme and often perpleXing questions
a chiid's truest education may be carr
ried on.
1t is important to be companion to
your children, even to the extent of
Joining in their play occasionally: they
VIII respect you none the less. but on
the contrary. viii love YOU the more
heartily for ii, and this close compan- |
ionSfIp makes the bond between parent |
and child which results in the future
acceptance of advice and guidance. If
you are worried or discouraged, the
recreation will benefit you as much as
it benefits the little one, and your sleep
viii be the sweeter for it.
Comparatively few children are nat,
uraiiy neat and orderly in their habits
yet it is one of the easiest lessons they
tdi anu IL Tightly IL soon
becomes confirmed habit and source
OF pleasure and satisfaction to the
mother. To help them form the habit
We must see that they have a convenient I
place in which to put everything and see
that all their childish belongings are in
the place allotted when not in use. In
this respect, as in many others, there
is a vast difference in children. Some. |
from the beginning require only an
Gan91 word and diraftinr
others are perhaps SO utterly careless
and untidy that one almost despairs of
ever teaching them; but persevere, firm |
Is and kindly; they will learn in time |
and orderly, methodical habits once |
formed will never be forgotten.
From babyhood a child should be |
taught to control his temper This is |
often the gift OF nature and is born with /
us. yet il can be acquired tevcn when
the reverse is the case), and il is always
improved by culture. Parents are fire. I
quently much more TO blame for their
children's hasty, violent tempers than
they may imagine. How many of them. 4
while Furnishing child for display
OF passion, make even a worse exhibit I
ton themselves. 4 child cannot be
supposed to have the same seif-control
as an adult. and punishment. unless /
very judiciOuSly administered will often
do more harm than good: the wiser
plan is to attract his attention from
that which eXcites him to something
else and after the fit of temper has sub /
sided. point out the harm and the I'M
happiness that it has caused
Seliishness is perhaps one of the
greatest faults that our faulty natures
are prone TO. IL is born in some of
course. but with many il is largely the
result of habit and training Its first
beginnings in a child should be careful
~ watched and repressed By gentle .
means IL possible; if not, then for every
selfish act require that the child make 7,
one of self-denial, and be deprived for
q time of that of which he would sell !
iishiy deprive another.
We are told that chiId's heart is
like garden, capable of producing.
under good culture. everything beauti-
1ul and desirable in humanity. while if
neglected, il is choked up with every
kind of rank and poisonous weeds IL !
may seem like empty words to claim
that with proper management a child
can be trained in almost any direction. !
Yet il is certainly true. The key to the
great difficulty lies i'm thoro and cor
rect comprehension of the nature ana
disposition with which one has To deal. I
and no one can be SO good Judge of
this as the mother. who has had an
opportunity TO study the child from
bsbyhood's earliest developments.
Presents should always be sent to the |