Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1879 — How Do You Govern Your Child? [ARTICLE]

How Do You Govern Your Child?

A weak, nervous system is often the result of wrong training in early childhood. The elements of fear, is generally one of the most influential among the mental traits of young children, and on this account, is frequently made use of, as a means of discipline for coutroling the innocent little intruders of mischief. Ignorant nurses and servant girls, as well as ignorant and injudicious parents, are inclined to use the scaring and frightening discipline as a means of government for children. It is too frequent the practice, to frighten the children Dy absurd, bug bear stories, which excites their lear. intimidates their freedom and usually weakens their nervous systems to irritability and weakness. From inexperience and undeveloped reasons, children are exceedingly credulous aud readily believe those absurd stories of hobgoblins, witches, and the threats of shutting them up in a room, where they will see raw heads, bloody bones or white ghosts. These are all ve’-y wrong, and should never be mentioned to children in such a manner as to excite fear, or call to their memory, (which in childhood is very weak,) when in the dark places or absent outdoors after dark, these frightful, objective stories, are sure to create terror in the mind of a young child.- * A severe strain is thus often produced on the nervous seusibilities, which is very injurous to the physical health, and sometimes proves the cause of morbid, nervous diseases and even in extreme cases terminates in insanity. ;