New-York tribune., 1908-06-18
NEW CHILD CULTURE
SUGGESTION Used by Mothers an the
Training of Little Ones.


a s ,,b.re there Is never any suggestion OF
failing interest. It is in the Mount MOTIFS Dap
Church, and they studying the Id" " 9,a
ton in the training of children under the 'iii
of the pastor, the Rev. j. Herman fsai''
Randall thinks that there is no work tns c1- ~,
can do that is so important as that OF chhu cu'u'
and as he cannot reach the fathers' eA.ep.
sionaIly through a sermon in church, ne Is 'ui INNS
his attention the mothers .
Their sense of responsibility IN tno mo =, -
keener" he said to Tribune reporter ana they
seem to be hungry for instruction. particularly l.
their children young.
Dr. Randall has talked to many dinerent hiluS VI
mothers both here and previous pastorate' ana
finds that even the most ignorant OF them can I'M
derstand suggestion II 1t is presented oy means VI
concrete instances and without technical terms All
may not catch the idea he says but there ai7
always some who Will. and he CONSIDERS II 'ne
fundamental principle of child training
Suggestion" he said. is the foundation OF Ffoe-
bells system of education but he was Oorfi d AN.
dred years ahead of his time, and we are oiliS
beginning to understand what he meant HIS
whole teaching to emphasize the tNllis Sou
want and never to mention the thing you don
want He deprecated the negative attitude III deal-
ing with children-the continual Don L ooH !.
don't" But the negative process is simpler ana
gives more immediate results than the positive
great many parents try the method OF susseSuol.
and they see no results they become discouraged
and give it up. They don't understand that rnoral
and intellectual growth is slow. like pnyslcaI
growth, and that they are QedHng noI WITH HAiro
date results. but with those that go back to uti-
mate success This isn't simple as putting chlId
in the shutting it up in closet, and thdt
is why 1t is hard to get people to do H.
THE sUBCoNsCIOUS MIND
'"The whole problem is to lodge the right ideas
In the subconscious subjective mind This is
the real self, the power behind the throne What
ever Is established there will ultimately express
itself in the outer life. Punishment and prohibit
ton defeat this end and accomplish just the re-
verse by fixing the child's mind the things
from which its attention should be turned Pun
ishment anita gonizes child and creates a mood
exactly contrary to that upon which suggestion
work. The mind is shut against any influence
Punishment ought never to be necessary For cor
poral punishment there be excuse There
is nothing brutal as for grown person to use
physical force against a child.
ITO use the suggestive method parent must
clearly what he wants to do. must study the
child and when II is weak and needs help and
then watch for the times when he and the child
rapport to make the appropriate susges-
tons These should be repeated as often pos
sble and may be given IN many indirect ways If
a child has a tendency to untruthfulness do not
say anything about the uginess OF lying but point
the beauty of truth. Illustrate 1t by stories and
pictures and assure the child that he is heart
truthful.
IF child is shy and tirnid tell him that there
Is nothing fear. If he is afraid OF people, tell
him that people best friends and Ike to
expecting company tell the child something about
the person who is coming. The child will become
interested in the person. and when he arrives will
be on the qui vive TO learn more about him. And
in proportion he is interested in the guest will
he be unconscious of himself, and consequently
free from shyness
PREFIX THE ACTION
children often yield to weakness because they
are not prepared. The parents know that the test
is coming and can by suggestion prefix the childs
action. A friend of mine dining out night
where there fve-year-od child at the table
The grown people had ice cream and cake, while
the child cheerfully ate bowl of bread and milk.
The guests wanted TO know how this miracle had
been effected. and the mother explained that it
was quite simple. Sweets didn't agree with the
child and kept him awake at night So in the
morning. when his mind fresh and calm. she
said to him: We going to have company to-
night and there will be ice cream. You know II
you any you won't sleep. I'm going to have
nice bowl of bread and rich milk for you. You
will have a little picnic all by yourself and then
you will sleep all night and get up feeling well in
the morning Several times during the day the
subject referred to- and by the time the bread
and milk appeared the childs mind quite
prepared TO accept it cheerfully and not ask for
ice cream.
We had a somewhat similar experience with
little boy. He hated be left alone at night
and couldn't always stay at home with him
We had some dsagreeable experiences with his set
ting up a vail ready to start So one
day his mother told him that we were going out
that evening, and she knew it wouldn't very
pleasant for him. she planned little picnic
for him. He to have whatever he wanted
for dinner, and have it on his own kinder
garten table. Several times during the day the
picnic referred to. and when TO go
out in the evening everything
"A child is open suggestion at the bed
time hour. The subjective mind never sleeps and
the objective mind loses consciousness the sub
jective mind becomes more accessible. Even after
a child is asleep go talking to it, and
the subjective mind will understand I know one
mother whose children answer her when she talks
them after they asleep. OF course chill
dren differ in their degree of susceptibility to sug-
gestion. experts say that every child is more
less susceptible Parents also differ in their
power of suggestion. and some would need TO
train themselves patiently before they could ac-
compish anything. With patience and persistence
cannot fail 10 get results.
The possibilities Of this power cannot Vet be es
timated. i believe it is destined be used more
and more in schools. asylums and prisons in the |
treatment of incorrigible children. II has been |
used in the Bowery Mission with remarkable re- |
suits 1t is the underlying principle Christian
Science. but is not used scientifically.
Professor n. n. Riddell gives a remarkable casa |
of boy he picked up on the to distribute |
posters for him. He was notoriously bad boy |
His mother had given him up in despair and the |
shopkeepers all knew him and were afraid ~ hin, |
Professor Riddell had long talk with the boy
He said: Now we are going to work together I |
going to trust you and you will trust me
The boy admitted that he had been a thief but |
Professor Ridden said. I'm sure you are an honest !
boy at heart, and going help YOU he vour
true self Every morning the talk was repeated /
always with the suggestion that the boy was hon
est. and during the three that the two /
worked together the boy absolutely truthful /
and absolutely honest"