Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-24
TRAINING BABIES

"A AOlSihOSb PdSllOlO6lSb VI NnlSclEO v
remarked in Washington about year
ago, that the government paid more
attention to the breeding of nogs than
10 children. The other day, a lee
turer said that children should have
pigs to play with, as they were easily
trained and maze good playmates.
mention these two extremes simply to
snow that the pig seems to have the
advantage in either case, and also to
illustrate that babies and pigs are oc-
cupying a great deal of attention at
present, although it is difficult to say
which is receiving the most.
1t cannot be denied that with the
progress of civilization, babies have
come to be looked upon with incereas-
ing disfavor, for which there are per-
haps many reasons, some of which
are tenable, others being purely i'm
aginary.
Race suicide cannot be defended up
on any ground except for the elimi-
nation OF the Weak-minded and dis
eased, which is of value in the up
building of the future generations, and
must, in time, become a recognized
fact as the lay mind progresses in its
understanding of what constitutes
good family and what is best for their
offspring and that the parents are duty
bound to furnish to their descendants
healthy mind and body.
The care of an infant is not SO Ia
borious as some would wish to make
it-of course being in the opposite ra-
ito to the desire for the offspring by
it's parents; also to the knowledge and
ability one possesses of training
child.
The best illustration of a baby's
mind upon which, of course, it's actions
must depend, is blank phonograph
record. For instance, If we know that
such a record were before us and that
every tone and word that we uttered
was registered upon the disc to be
liberated some time later upon our
ears, we would undoubtedly sing sweet
songs and say all the pretty things we
know and certainly in a modest tone.
But do mothers and nurses remem-
ber this when they are in the presence
of babies? Perhaps some do, and
good many do not. But, surprising as
it may appear to some, there is not
a particle of difference between
baby's mind and a blank phonograph
record in working order as far as re-
ceiving impressions are concerned, and
these come out later, as we know, not
once but unnumbered times during
life. The little brain susceptible of re-
tanning the finest impressions, soon be-
comes filled with impulses of pleasure
or sadness, docility or severity, mod
esty or coarseness; in fact, whatever
has been served to it by those whom 1t
has had the fortune or misfortune to
come in contract with.
Rearing a baby as we are beginning
to learn, is altogether q matter OF en-
vironment, which includes care. Near
ly every mother or nurse has d system
of her own for the training of baby,
which includes plans for grand opera
career, appearance at court Qoreign),
great political, scientific and financial
careers and what not, which we can
pass lightly without smile, since it is
universal.
1t is very difficult to attempt to train
all babies by following a single rou-
tine. Environment, climatic conditions
and the conditions of the mothers
health, as we'll as that of the baby's,
must determine the course to. be fol-
lowed. Overlooking is one of the most
common factors in causing discomfort
to the baby. 1t is much better to feed
often and for a shorter period at the
start, as by this plan the baby is bet
ter able to assimilate the milk without
being subject to colicky pains. For
the first three months, once every two
or three hours is often enough, and the
period of nursing should not be over
fifteen or twenty minutes. Many
mothers nurse baby once every hour
and the period of nursing lasts thirty
to forty-five minutes. This is very
harmful to the baby and does not al
leviate the crying except that 1T oc-
cupies the time of the baby while in
creasing the discomfort later. If the
baby continues to cry it is usually due
to colicky condition, and teaspoonful
doses of warm water every fifteen