New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-06-07

Marion Foster washburne, In her recent book.
srThe Mothers Year Book macmillan Company,
New York;. strikes the happy between the
two extremes, into other of which many
people fall in the Of babies. She is modern
and hygenic. but not Spartan; she advocates
plenty of indulgence of the baby and its wants
but not foolish Indulgence The book is, as its
subtitle describes IL. "a practical application of
the results of scientific child study TO the first
year of childhood"
Before Mrs washburne is through with her
first chapter she demolishes the pet theory Of the
ultra-moder1n child culturist Cradles for babies,
she says; cradles with rockers; and rock the
little one to sleep every night Even better than
a cradle is 2 hammock, if that can be achieved
The habit of being swung To sleep is, after all
very innocent-nuch less harmful TO a child than
the habit Of crying himself to sleep, or going to
sleep uncomfortable and lonely. The swing OF the
cradle or hammock is useful in quietng the baby's
nerves when they have been overstrained by TOO
much excitement, by a deferring of the nap
time beyond its usual hour. And when he is rest
less too. the swing Of the cradle or hammock
eoualizes the circulation and prevents the discom-
fort familiar adults of trying TO go TO sleep
when there is such thing as a comfortable
position he had. The hammock or cradle gently
losses the little body from side TO side. giving It
rrythmical massage, very soothing and helpful
Personally ] prefer the hammock to the cradle.
because its long swing is without jar, and one
push of the hand will keep it going for long
time is the device Of q people who live near
nests of birds as nearly possible II baby can
not swing in the branches of a tree. il is next
best to swing over mothers bed, TO the sound of
her quiet singing
PUTTING BABY TO SLEEP
What, Sing the baby to sleep? Yes. indeed;
and Pat him and rub his little back If necessary
and in general make him as comfortane anu
hanpv as possible AS both Perez and Preyer
prove that babies have many obscure discomforfs
which we cannot guess-they call them or
sanic dscomforts-let Us not deny our halur dl
impulse TO give them many little foolish comforts
There is another modern theory when says ui"'
the babys sefcontrol should be developed by leaV-
snr fragile and breakabie things within its reach
and teaching that II must not touch them here
is what this author thinks:
A CRUEL PRACTICE.
1T is absolutely necessary TO keep out Of their
reach everything which the hands really must not
touch II is worse than folly-it is cruelty and
folly com bined-to tell child under two years
old that he must touch this or that. No, no!
we've all heard mothers say, peremptorily slapIanS
the little hands. Naughty. Naughty BABY
must not touch. But the baby's mental mechanism
is such that he can't help touching. The mental
machinery necessary make him overcome a
strong motor solicitation has not been established
,n his brain. He may understand you perfectly,
but he cannot obey you. The only thing 20 do at
,his stage is to keep of sight and out OF reach
those things which he must not touch"
LOVE AS NEEDFUL AS SCIENCE
7. doe, seem strange that the most scientifically
cared for babies in the most admirable institutions
d no, thrive as well frequently the darling Of
ror,e family where conditions are not al all what
-ba modern scientist would approve. And yet it is
not so strange.
when a baby seems TO be spoiled by too much
love" saws Mrs. washburne. 1T is not that his
mother gives him too much love. but that she
mikes with II little sense.
1T is a well known fact that babies in maternity