The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-10-03

TINE problem of badly-dis-
ciplined children is often
Il only that of a badly-dis-
ciplined mother.
Spoiled children grow up to be
reasonable human beings. At
ten or twelve or even earlier
they come to their senses, real
ize that there is no gain in spit
ting, screaming, fighting, kick
ing when anything disappoints
them. Then they merely smile
when some aunt or cousin, re-
membering nursery days, says
half-amusedly, "My but you
were the spoiled baby!"'
School and contact with other chill
dren are elements that quickly edu-
cate the spoiled child. He or she
wants to be popular, wants to be like
the rest; teacher has no time for
individual tantrums and sulks.
Mama may go on indulging dear
little Cecil or Mabel for a few years,
but life isn't as tender as Mama.
And it is the punishment of the I'M
disciplined mother that her own
child very soon comes to regard her
softness with Indifference and con-
tempt.
No, it's never a child's fault that
it is not trained, that it is allowed
to make a perfect pest of itself,
that it spits out food, screams when
Mother leaves the room for a mo-
ment, interrupts, is untruthful,
leases, answers rudely, disobeys,
destroys. Some children do all of
these things naturally; all children
do some of them. 1t is entirely a
question of the mothers willingness
to train them that decides how long
such habits shall endure.
Many and many mother loses
through her own weakness the ex-
quisite joy of her children's first
years. They are to her a constant
annoyance and responsibility, with
brief moments of pride and affection
scattered along the hard baby years
of their lives. She has not the cour-
age to deny the bowling five-months
old baby as mid-meal the feeding
he spurned at his regular bottle time.
A few months later she explains that
he always screams that way with
any other guardian but herself. That
a few sharp spanks on fat baby
leg would save not only herself but
the baby hours of pain and tears
doesn't occur to her. She doesn't
know that the tone of voice will
discipline six-months old baby far
more effectively than good sound
whipping or denial of the circus will
influence a fve-year-old tyrant.
A Mean Disposition.
Not long ago four-year-old boy
visited us. Obedience was no part
of his plan. 1t took his mother five
hours daily to coax three meals into
him. Meat had to be cut fine; then
it was too fine. Was there another
chop? Milk had to be warmed; then
il was too warm. Twice in "a hours
he screamed for full hour. He got
hold of matches. He threw kitten
into the pool. He cut an angle out
of the screen of door. He shrieked
until his father gave in, and swung
him much too high in the swing. He
wanted every child's toy; he sat
guarding them jealousy. His small
face already wears mean, sly, sus-
picious expression.
He will probably grow to be nice
enough boy, when he has learned
some bitter lessons at school. Les
sons not in the books. But mean
while the attitude of his parents is
one of shame and concern, and it
seems a great pity that what could
be the source of infinite pride and
10Y to them is destroyed.
For children can be made into
well-behaved, happy, self-amusing,
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