The Virginia enterprise., 1908-03-06
SUGGESTIONS TO AND FOR
MOTHERS. -, :, 80,

SUGGESTIONS TO AND FOR
~ MOTHERS. =, .. :. >..-e,
Children are wonderfully amenable
to suggestion" good or bad. have
long contended and often proved that
suggestion used intelligently by the
mother is 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. Through the
same, agency, children may be- cured
of bad habits, undesirable traits, mat
tention to studies, etc., etc. ,..,e
The time to shape q character when
it is most susceptible to maternal in
f1uences is during the natural-not
hypnotic sleep of the child.
The general opinion is that a per-
son 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 q
sleeper.
insensibility to external impressions,
but rather 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 permanent and deep i'm
preston through the subjective mind
upon the objective, or waking, mind
The Method to Pursue.
Much depends upon the age and the
disposition of the child. No one can
understand this better than the
mother.
As rule the best way to approach
the child is to say Gas it is about to
retire.: 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
| going to talk to them, what you are
going 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
! general way to the child ere it
sleeps. Thus talking, in a quiet man.
ner, the child, as a rule, soon be-
comes drowsy, and as it drops asleep
the mother says: This is mother (or
mamma) talking to you. You will not
awaken. 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
I touch your lips with my fingers and
you can speak. Say Yes, mamma, l
hear you"
You should not expect the child to
| awaken, but should it stir uneasfly
and open its eyes, the mother should
not relinquish her attempt, but gently
| close the eyelids, at the same time
suggesting again: Nothing will dis
turb you; you will sleep quietly now,
and hear what mamma says, because
it is all for your good and you will be
so pleased to do what mamma sug-
gests''
1t is well il you stroke the child
forehead gently, as this will have a
| quieting effect and accustom the
sleeper to your presence. You should
then proceed with your suggestions of
those things that you desire to elimi-
Observation-Disclosures, untidiness, idle
ness, untruthfulness. nail biting, lack
of application to studies. music, ETC.,
etc.-whatever you feel the child most
needs. Speak plainly, but quietly, yet
with sufficient positiveness' to be i'm
| pressive.
II you wish to exact a promise from
the child you should say: II want you
to promise me that you will never