Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1884 — CARING FOR CHILDREN. [ARTICLE]

CARING FOR CHILDREN.

Helpful Paragraphs for Many An Anxious Mother. If a baby cries warm its feet before [you dose it. Kemember that other people have children as well as yourself. As they grow older, win their confidence ; if you dp. not, somebody elsp will. Show the children that you love them; do not expect them to take it on trust. Cultivate them separately, and not as if you were turning them out by machinery. Sing to the little ones ; the memory of a nursery song will cling to them through life. Let the children make a noise sometimes; their happiness is as important as yonr nerves.. As the boys grow up, make companions of them; then f hey will not seek companionship elsewhere. ‘ Believe in a child’s statement until you are sure they are incorrect; mistrust breeds estrangement. Dress the children sensibly, cover up their limbs in winter, and study health first and appearance second. Allow children, as they grow older, to have opinions of their own ; make them individuals and not mere echoes. As long as it is possible kiss them good niglit after they are in bed; they do like it so, and it keeps them very close. Talk hopeful to your children of life and its possibilities; you have no right to depress them because you have suffered. Bear in mind that you are largely responsible —for your" child’s inherited character, and have patience with faults and failings. Attend to them yourself; a go-be-tween betwixt mother and child is like a middle-man. in business, who gets the largest share of the profits. Reflect that a pert child is an abomination ; train vour children to be respectful and to hold tlioir tongues, in the presence of their superiors, Kemember that, although they are all your children, each one has an individual character, and that tastes and qualities vary indefinitely. Kespect their little secrets; if they have concealments, worrying them will never make them tell* and patience will probably do their work. Kemember that without physical health mental attainment is worthless; let them lead free, happy lives, wliiclT will strengthen both mind and body.

Make your boys and girls study physiology; when they are ill try and make them understand why, how the complaint arose, and the remedy as far as you know it. Teach boys and girls the actual facts of life as soon as they are old enough to understand them, and give them a sense of responsibility without saddening them. Impress upon them from ear ly infancy that actions have results, and, that they cannot escape consequences" even by being sorry when they have acted wrongly. Find out what their special tastes are, and develop them instead of spending time, money, aqd patience in forcing them into studies that are repugnant to them. As your daughters grow up, teach them at least tbe true merits of housekeeping and cookery; they will thank you for it in later life a great deal more than for accomplishments. Maintain a respectful tone to their father before them; if he is not all you wish, still make them respect himr he is always their father, and disrespect to him is a reflection upon yourself. Try and with girlish flights of fancy, even" if they seem absurd to you; by so doing you will retain your influence over your daughters, and mot teach them to seek sy m pathy elsewhere.