Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-20
WILES OF THE WEE FOLK
By H. Addington Bruce

~ EMEMBER always, I entreat you, that
X the little child you rejoice to be able
to call yours has a mind as we'll as
body. Remember that his mind needs food
and exercise as truly as his body does.
Instinctively he will try to gain both food
and exercise for his mind by asking you in
Vulnerable questions. Answer these, not
casually, but to the best of your ability, and
in such wise that he will early be accustomed
to think accurately and vigorously.
And, indeed, provide food and exercise for
his mind even before he begins to question
you about the wonderful world in which he
finds himself.
recting his attention to all manner of
things. Tell him stories that will help him
to become creatively imaginative. Teach him
at very early age to spell and read.
Collect in your home little library Of
good books and let him browse among these
at his pleasure. You cannot too soon begin
to cultivate in him a love of reading. Choose
good pictures for your walls-pictures that
will both stimulate his curiosity and suggest
to him ideas expanding and refining his
mind.
Do these things and you need never fear
experiencing the disappointment that comes
to so many parents when their little ones go
to school.
His teachers will not be reporting to you
that he seems dull and stupid and quite I'M
willing to study. Your method of helping his
mind to grow will have fitted him, not mere
ly to cope with the tasks of the schoolroom,
but to take real delight in them.
Remember also that it is your business
not only to nurture your child mentally and
physically, but to develop in him strength of
character and qualities that will enable him
to meet and mingle with his fellows coop
eratively instead of selfishly, distrustfully,
or antagonistically.
Train him from the outset to be frank,
honest generous, and brave. But do not
make the fatal mistake of thinking that such
training should be through terrorism.
Punishment at times your child is pretty
sure to need. Let the punishment be such as
to cause him to appreciate his fault rather
than to instil into him dominating sentiments
of hatred and fear. The child who is ter
rorized is all too apt to grow into bitter,
hard man, or whining, cunning, cowardly
one.
But neither should undue affection be
shown, or undue soIicitude.
Parents forever anxious about the health
and safety of their children need hardly
hope that those children will escape becom-
ing morbidly anxious about themselves. To
attributable not a little of the neuroticism
so much in evidence today.
And if parents through undue affection
keep their children too long dependent on
them, it is hardly possible for the children
to acquire the self-reliance, initiative, and
determination that they will greatly need
when at later day they have to strike out
for themselves.
All of which have previously emphasized
in the course of discussion of special prob
lens in child training. But these are mat
tiers of such fundamental Importance, and
so frequently overlooked, that the present
restatement of them may, I sincerely
hope it will, prove helpful to many parents.
Copyright, 1922, by The Associated News
papers.)