Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-03-09
HOW TO Train
A WILLFUL CHILD
The Value of Will Power In Aft
er Life Largely Depends Upon
the Early Mental Habits He
Acquires.

4" HE child's will has much to do
with its after success and hap
piness. The definite and in
telligent training Of the will
power of an infant is much more i'm
portant than hand embroidered and
elaborate garments.
VIII Is a twisted cable, made up of
habit, deliberation and action. These
three strands of the cable do not all
develop at once, which is fortunate for
US. First N the establishment of
right habits. The very young child
learns first of all to associate sensa-
lions. 1t is hungry. 1t cries. 1t is
fed. A line is traced on the brain like
a line upon carbon paper. The next
time the same sensations are expert
enced, and the same results happen.
Memory awakens, and the child learns
that crying brings attention. BY this
time the tracing on the carbon paper
of the brain has grown into quite a
deep mark. If the line is traced often
enough it becomes a groove or a hab-
it. If we establish right habits, and
especially the important habit of self
control, as the child grows older it
will naturally respond to reason and
right impulses.
If a child's will is constantly arous-
ed in a rebellious way we cultivate a
defiant attitude of mind. If it is I'M
controlled its emotions will sweep it
off its feet at every hand, preventing
the exercise of good judgment. So
soon as young children are able to
listen to reason they should be en-
couraged to think and given an oppor
tunity to make reasonable decisions.
Even a young child can be trained to
listen to the voice of conscience. If
you insist on un%reasoning obedience or
If you make q child's decisions for 1t
at all times you will develop a weak
ling. A child gains control of it's
will first by cheerful obedience, next
by the cooperation of an understand
ing parent and, lastly, by self direc-
ton through the ability to make right
choices.
The wise mother will teach her child
to comply with a worthy routine
which she has established for its best
good. She will expect it to yield to
her judgment until the child begins to
ask why and how and what for. Then
she will remember that she has enter
ed upon the stage of cooperation and
will say, "Let-us do so and So" or.
Mother wishes you to help her do
thus and So" In this ann she will
teach the little one the joy of worthy
accomplishment. She will show it the
value of thoroughness and have count
less opportunities to teach the use of
the hands and the mind. Once the
child begins to show its mind to make
right choices it has taken the first
step in self direction.
A person who can direct his W eff
forts Alright and who can sustain the
action of self direction is rightly said
to be strong willed. A person who
chooses a wrong way and sticks to 1t
does not exercise a strong will, but
rather the faculty of stubbornness
There is a difference between will pow
er, contrariness and stubbornness. The
contrary individual is perverse in
choosing a way not pleasing to others;
a stubborn individual deliberately
sticks to a wrong choice; a strong
willed person is convinced of the right
and, for principles sake, cannot be
moved.