The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-01
Bows Norfolk Jacket Suits
Children and Punishment
By KAREN MrcHAELIs Author of "The Dangerous Age

when you force them to do so, and
when they are afraid"
Suddenly she laughed and said: Il
viii tell you story Of little master
thief" And she told me how pencil
cases, sewing article, thimbles and
other things disappeared from the
classrooms. The children were watch
ed. and it was easily discovered that
the thief was a little girl, the 'daugh-
ter OF a very rich man. Not word
was said to the child. but the father
was informed. on the condition tina,
he must say nothing TO the child.
Christmas drew near. One day
my friend called the little girl into
her study. talked to her of the sig
niflcance of the holy festival, and at
last said: Now there Is this strange
thing about Christmas that every
body who has done anything wrong
is made TO suffer for 1t during the
holidays The bad conscience win
feel like heavy milestone in her
stomach. and she will not be able to
enjoy either turkey or plum pudding
OF course, you know Ii is wrong to
take things that belong to others. but
when a thing like that has been done,
there is nothing to do. Still, l have
an idea You ought to gather all the
last day before the vacation. Then
you must give them to the other lit
tile girls and tell them you are sorry
and will never do such thing again.
think you ought to make a nice lit
tie speech"
On the last day before the vacation
an automobile stops outside the schoo,
and footman and the chauffeur carry
inside scores of packages. The
teacher announces that Else Won ID
has something To tell her classmates
! ana the little thief enters and makes
the prettiest little speech promising
never to do 1t again" and endinA
with the words: II have brought al
the things back and give them to you
as Christmas present"
My friend laughs heartily as she
tells me that ISe never stole again
Many parents think that Ii is I'M
possible to bring up children without
frequently using the words duty ane
punishment" This is absoiutel,
wrong. The sense Of duty lis a kline
OF sense of honor, closely connected
Win the sense order. AS one chiil
VIII always put on its shoes ane
stockings in certain order. another
now starts with the shirt, now with
with his stockings, now sits lost In
thought on the edge OF the bed una bl,
10 decide what to put on first The
moment you begin to treat a chill
ike pin cushion sticking II full O,
duties. you teach the child to sigh
II 10 against nature for chi.,l TO sigh
and against nature to burden q chile
| with duties.
Far be IL from me to mean, tina
children should he allowed to hay,
their own way. They should be gfver
opportunities TO love work insteaG
| OF hating 1t.
suppose mother wants her Nttl,
! girls to dust room. this work shouIt
not be duty, costing seedlings .nt
| tears. IL II Is neglected. 1t is the
mothers task to make 1t a pleasur,
Tor the child to be allowed to assist
ana when II does. the mother mus
show her gratitude and Joy. NJ
scales are more sensitive than a
ehiid's conscience and sense OF ,us
tice and very often 1t is wronged.
How often. does It not happen tina
child accidently breaks something
and is punished for IL, as IL II were {
crime committed intentionally. III,
punishment is more severe II the OBJ
Feet Is valuable and this confuses tn,
child's acute sense Of right ane
| wrong.
The same thing happens when par.
ents punish child for something i
has done and which its brother OF
sister has told about. This Is a Grim,
against all moral which kin brother
| ~ love and destroys the peace Of tn,
home.
II you ask then: How are children
| to be punished? reply: children ar,
| never to be punished at all. The,
| need no punishment. The child VIII,
rot
| money to buy cakes The child VIII,
| gets love enough. does not willingl,
| do anything to cause It's parents scr
| row. And II Is absolutely wicked Il
| punish crime committed in ignor
| ance
And stiii--r make one exception
and this concerns a crime committed
In ignorance. II little girl torment
an atlmal thoughtlessly or hurts an
other child, It might be. well to appl,
the old rule--an eye for an eye.
tooth for tooth. remember lit
tie girl OF four who amused hersel
pulling out the feathers Of q bird
Then the mother took her on her lar
explained to her the pain she cause,
and said, Now / pull hair fror
| YOUR head, that you may feel how /
i hurts"
She pulled out hair. The chill
cried: "Oh, mother, Ii I have nur
the bird 30 much you must quiz gu
two more Of my hairs" It's sense .
| Justice was stronger than the pair
The mother did 30 and the little XII
asked: Mama. do you think the bir
- still crying. foS II It y ycu ma
4 pull out all my hairs" But Ia
mother kissed her little daughter m
said: mo. the little brid understand
xyApRS vvns~ Ala t~n~- A.,-