The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-03-22
CONTROLLING CHILDREN
Nv MRS. ISABEL S. WALLACE.

amused long time. A house and fur
niture with few cut-out dollies Take
such busy little girls. After al: It Is
the simplest thing that makes children
happiest.
When at my mothers home one
time my little girl folded and cut
house, windows, doors and all. Her
grandmother was delighted and the
little one said: "WeIl keep it to show
grandpa and I guess he'll say am
smart Tottie." With Il little Thought
mothers can learn how to fold ana
teach their children to fold a number
of things. 1t is excellent practice In
accuracy and neatness, besides afford
ing The Joy Of making something.
In regular Kindergarten all the
sets of blocks, which are OF different
! sizes, are kept in boxes with covers,
and each child puts his away carefully
and correctly or else the cover
will not fit. Then all the sets are
collected and packed In a closet by
few of the children. Children love to
help keep things in order and enjoy
doing 1t.
At home, also, child should have
a place for his toys. A playroom IS
ideal, but if this cannot be provided,
some place surely can be found, even
in q small fiat, which a child may
have for his very own to keep his
toys in. From the age Of sixteen
months I insisted that my little girl
put her toys away neatly. We began
it as play, and now it is habit. OF
course, sometimes she is in very much
Of hurry to do something else, but
the toys are put away in the end. We
made her large drygoods box, stand
ing I'D on end. My husband put cheap
caStors on it and two shelves across
it. There all the small toys are kept.
The blocks have their own boxes; the
small things have baskets; and cray
ons, pictures and papers go into
box with a cover. All of tAem fit into
the shelves; also the animals, dolls
trunks, washtubs and many other such
things.
Teaching Good Order.
One day when my child was not at
home. little girl came in for a visit.
I took her into the playroom and left
her there very happy. After short
time she went home. When l re-
turned to the playroom found every
thing SC scattered over the floor that
there was hardly room to walk. The
next time the little girl came, had
talk with her. I have made it rule.
and it is q hard rule to keep, for some
mothers are offended, that II child
will not help put away the toys care
fully when he is ready to 60 home,
then he cannot come back to play
with that toy again until he is ready
to do what 1 ask. Ny little girl was
playing at a neighbor's a few days
later. When it was time to come home
1 went for her. The children were
cutting out pictures and had made a
dreadful muss on the table, chairs
and floor. told my little girl to help
pick them up before putting on her
things. The mother said: "Oh, that's
all right, Sadie never picks up scraps;
l do that. So don't make your little
girl do It," And my child smiled and
calmly said: Its all right, mother,
1 don't have to pick up here Then
told the mother about my rule and
explained that it wasn't mere cranki-
ness on my part, but desire to form
good habits in the children.
All children are naughty at times
and 1t is so hard to know how to deal
Justly with them. One day when l
was very busy my little girl came in
from playing in the garden. suppose
she was tired and hungry. but she did
not herself know what was the mat
ter. She began to try new kind OF
naughtiness, lying down on the floor,
kicking and screaming and saying
naughty things to me. I was amazed.
and quite puzzled as to how to treat
such a proceeding. At first ignored
her, but she kept it up. asked few
questions in a kindly way but that
seemed to fan the fame. I vas busy,
In a hurry, warm and tired and began
| to get very angry.
Controlling Temper.
| Nevertheless l realized that II could
not control my temper, could not ex-
pect a flve-year-old child to do so. So
I Wondered over what to do. Finally |
went and picked her up and carried
her to a chain where we both sat, or
fiopped down, as it was no easy task
carrying a kicking, crying mass OF hui
manity. never said word, but
rocked her quietly. After little while
she stopped, and began to sing soft
ly. She almost went to sleep. Then
knew she was s'.nply over-tired and
I was so thankful that had not In
dulged my own temper In any way.
After a short time we had lunch and
then she went to bed for her after
noon nap. She slept hours, repairing
the wasted energy and her nerves IN
blessed sleep. She has never tried
that trick again.
I find a word Of praise goes 80 much
farther than blame, and the bright
eyes give back such a grateful look.
Last autumn my little girl began to
I IL - bscdorc~ rton She loves the