Arizona republican., 1909-04-29
The Greatest Operate
Contra1to Of the Day

| that their own welfare as we'll as their
own comfort depended upon obeying me
and behaving properly.
Once a child is brought to realize
this, it will fall into proper ways. |
made it a rule never TO punish my
children severely. but for wrong doing,
| deprived them of some pleasure. This
subjected them to no indignity, as thrash
ings sometimes do with sensitive chill
dren, and the lesson is better learned,
| find
required the truth at all times and in
all circumstances. and | did not punish
| a child that admitted its transgres-
sions. Children, have found, are very
sensible, and even at an early age are
open to conviction, if one will only take
the time and pains to explain. But alas,
so many mothers are too busy
Irrational Punishments
Grave, very grave, mistakes are made
BY parents in modes OF punishment for
trivial misdoings. . A harsh word,
roughly spoken; a hand laid none too
gently on a little shoulder, a push or a
slap; all are calculated TO impress a
child with its own insignihcance. to
create in the little brain the thought that
there is an inequality between child and
parent that may never be overcome.
When a child thinks thus-and who
can say what deep thoughts enter little
draw within itself. 10 live its own life
apart from its parents.
With this comes self-pity, and, alter
ward, each reprimand, no matter how
thoroughly deserved, is regarded as but
another engagement in the perpetual
impossible fight between forces hope
lessly and unevenly matched. Thus.
little by little, the boy or the girl
grows away" from those who should
be his or her chief companions and con
hdants.
Tbs chid's Brain
Little beginnings Imaginary as il
may seem, it is not impossible that some
great crimes have had their true origin
in unjust chastisemcnt melted out 10
well-meaning child Small things affect
us Older folk; how much moreSmust
they affect a growing, sensitive brain,
open to new thoughts and new ideas
every instant of its existence, and put
ting on each act observed a construction
naturally narrow, and based. in many
cases, purely on sentiment and seldom
on reason? For children. all, are senti-
mental, and their reasoning, if reason
they do, has for its objective point an
ideal.
These little brains of our children.
which treasure kind word so long and
retain as carefully the memory of a
wrong-some day they will have to
think out questions large with import
and on which the welfare of not one
person alone, but of many hundreds,
may depend.
How great then is the responsibility
that rests with mothers and fathers
who are charged with the training Of
these brains How necessary that we
should try to see two points of view at
the same time and always. so that no
vagrant train of thought may be started
in the little head.
| seldom had to resort to corporal
punishment, | am very glad to say,
though | admit that there are occasions
when it is necessary. My children were
close to me, and | think they I'M
derstood me from the time they could
understand anything at all
If they msbehaved and they saw that
| was hurt or sorry, they were sorry
too, and that was a quite sufficient pun
ishment. for none of them would trans
gress again in the same way, as long as
the memory OF my sorrow at their act
lasted They all learned to know what
was passing through my mind when /