Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-23
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PARENT and CHILD
The Folly Of Teaching Baby
Talk to the Young
by virginia rcrhunc Van de Water

Copyright. 1915 by Star Company
How our children shall speak is
worth consideration. do not mean
s how they shall learn to form the first
baby words that mean so much to the
devoted parents. Eut shall they speak
z like educated and refined members OF
society. or shall we allow them to in
dulge In the slang and rough -andtum
BILE language peculiar to some of their
associates?
Children are as initiative as monkeys
One man who, ia intense moments.
lapses into profanity, has a bright little
daughter of two and q half years. The
parents did not suppose that the tiny
creature was old enough TO NOTCH any
Z peculiaritics in her fathers speech.
One dady. when he Was giving the child
n ride on his foot she looked up at him
with an cCStalic smile.
My God. what good time we're
The father set her down and started
to his feet. Where did that child
ever pick up such an cNprcssion"" he
exclaimed. 4 won, have my baby
taught profanity
Then YOU must not use il in her
presence" the mother rcjoiued quietly.
1t is certain that children have an
aptitude for learning the things
would not have them learn. The vulgar
word heard ON the street. the rough
expletive uttered by a playmate, is re-
peated with parroi-lilie accuracy that
makes even the uuorthodoN almost be-
lievc in natural dopravity.
One nurse bcwailcd the fact that her
charge would not learn the prayer she
had tried for weeks TO teach him. yet
learned at the second hearing coarse
rime sung IN his presence by n small
street urchiu.
Such being the case. it hehooves us
parents to guard our speech. Not that
we are prone to profanity or vulgarity,
but VIC do use slang more than we real
ize. The man who says to his small
son. Can that racket" instead of stop
that noise" need not be surprised II the
lad finds such expressions more natural
than he does English undeiiled.
We can not keep our children from
the use OF some Of the phrases com
mon among their plaYmatcs and school
fellows but We can try 10 have them
hear enough good English in their
homes 10 make them familiar with cor
rect speech. This will TO some extent.
dilute" the less refined language.
Teach the Right.
Even babies may he taught the right
instead of the wrong thing. one won
iers. therefore. why some parents talk
to their children III an idiotic prattle
that is an insult to an infant OF aver
age Intelligence.
And how was 90 dis mornin', my
tootsie- wootsS'?" COOS the loving
mother as she kisses her baby. she :
mommoo's pity sing. amt she?"
Does such senseiess patois denote a
superior quality OF affection? 1t GER
;ainly does not indicate n hiSh grade
OF intellect, one might say just AS
tender things in sane and grammatical
phra Sc ology | know one woman who
10 this day perpetuaies the phrases
of her silly mother 10 such an extent
that she always grccts her intimate
friends with How is 'oo?"
We all know that what's funny in
the kitten amt funny In the cat But
was such talk as that ever funny even
in the most dminUtivc kitten?
/ would not suggest mat the child
be corrected in his own sweet baby
prattle. II he is so young that he
says google" instead OF "dogsie." lett
him say ii. As hc learns to form his
words more correctly ne will lose the
baby phrascolory all too soon for our
liking.
one little girl never learned to say
FISH" until she WAS eight wears old.
but always spoke of "hss' ana hcr
patents smiled affcctionately AZ tnel
error and let it pass That was wise
But why teach a child 10 say "Gccgee"
instead OF horse OF "choo -choo" in
stead Of car" or tell him he may have
a ride in the monk monk" instead OF
in an "automohilc."
Surely even childish lips can say
"autc" as easily as monk monk"
While we are on this subject OF cor
rect speech for the Guild, and the ex
ample that may be set him in the
proper use of his mother tongue, may
! he permitted TO repeat that which
have told elsewhere OF a mother who,
unconscious OF her own faults OF
phra seology, wished her husband to
correct his sons frequent use OF slang
My dear" She said, its the limit
the way Jack reels OFF slang. It's up