Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-02-24
A MOTHERS TALK TO MOTHERS.

Dear Mothers of the Social Corner:
Fer 1t is to you in particular I want to
talk this afternoon. / want to tell you
of a little more of my experience in
bringing up children. No matter how
large or small your family may be. it
is seldom that any two children are
alike in disposition or temperament,
and this is what drives q neither to
her wits end to know Just how to
manage each one.
When I had two little ones (you re-
member l told you that l knew moth
ing about bringing Up children when /
was married), I purchased a book on
the training and bringing up of chill
dren. l read it from cover to cover.
1 thought 1 was a very fortunate
woman to come across such a book. for
after all when one knew how to do it
it was not such a hardship to raise a
family and do your own work also;
now I know how to do it, would obey
the book to the letter and started at
once to put it in practice.
The book told me just when a child
should be put to bed, just when It
should wake, the proper hour to battle,
the amount OF time it should take to
dress. and so on.
Well, mothers, I was never in trou-
hour that baby should be sleeping was
Just the time time he was wide awake:
the time for his bath he was fast
asleep. The half-hour allowed for
dressing often extended into an hour.
In desperation, I threw the book one
side and decided I would DO thing s
at times most convenient for myself
and l believe every mother must learn
from experience.
God has given US brains and wis
dom and we must use them, and not
depend on the brains and wisdom Of
someone else.
I had q sturdy little chap OF ten,
who was very self-witled and stub
born. 1t seemed as if he would never
be conquered own way he would
have. One morning l gave him some
light work to do and told him he must
do It; 1t did not meet with his ap-
prevail and he argued against it.
told him 1t must be done. lie delayed
in ohey!ng. talked with him, and
finally was obliged to whip him. Still
he would not do it; and l am sorry
to admit tt could not make him.
| The day wore OH, After three o'clock
| sat Down to my sewing: my head
ached, I was all unstrung. and finally
| to relieve my feelings, laid my head
on the sewing table and had good
cry.
When I raised my head, my disobe-
| dent little boy stood beside me, hor-
| rified to see his mother crying, and
pleading with me to tell him what was
the matter.
well brother" (for that Is what we
called HIM, I said, III you want to
know what made mother cry, ! will
| tell you. 1t Is because you were a
dHsobedient, naughty boy. For ten
years mother has clothed and fed you
given you everything you could wish
for and now, when you are able to
help me. you will not do 1t"
Looking up in my face, he said;
And is that what you were crying
| fer? We'll, Ma, trust me just once
more and you will see how much
will help you.'
That Is ten years ago. The boy has
grown to be a young man, filing 8
| position of trust today, and not once
| since has he disebeyed my slightest
wish, or caused me q moments anx-
| isty
| | think when mothers can, that il
| is much the better way to reason
with 4 child than 10 whip them.
Mrs Robinson: / find your letters
Very interesting ana instructive,
| believe every woman should be ahl,
10 converse inteltisently on all peliii.
cal situations But there is a ilttlt
seInethiHg about the veting quesfier
that is not clear to me. No doubt yel
can explain it.
You tell queen Bass that she shsuit
! wake up, study the Wsnan suHras'
question, yete, make every cert t.
close the saloon that her boys ma!
not beeeme drunkards.
Foes a father not love his ersprinl
ns dearly as d mother Goes? II II ca