OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 158, 29 March 1919, Page 5

OUR BABIES

I'B'r" HYG!:iA.I Published under the auspices <>f the Hoyal New Zealand .Society for the Health of Women and Children. "It is wiser to put up a fence ot the top of ii precipice than to maintain an ainbulancu at the bottom." SUGGESTIONS VOU THE CAKE OP OLDER OJIILDIIEN. Tho Bath.

Do not let children beyond the baby stage grow up without the habit of having regular cold baths unless thero is a delinito reason to the contrary, which is very seldom the case. Tho most stimulating form of bath is warm water, followed by cold; but in households whero there are several children timo Ims be economised oiirly in tho morning. This is partly what lends to the prevalent warm bath at night, and much benefit is missed thereby. Such a plan, however, ns the following will bo found posaible in the busiest household. Do the washing of tho neck and ears, ns well as the face and hands, every evening at bedtime (if necessary the legs and feet also), and cither onto or twice a week givo a complete warm bath. The lengthy part of the bathinpr process is thus accomplished when the mother has more time. Moreover, the children will not damage their clean beds, which i 3 another frequent reason for bathing the family in the evening. Then in the morning it is a matter of a few moments only to sec that each child gets his cold dip or shower and a thorough brisk drying with a rough, towel. Fathers might hcip here, and would secure great benefit for their little boys if thoy undertook to see them through their bath in the morning. Allow no delay in dressing, and send children out for a brißk run or game. If tho mother can go with them, all the better for everyone. Teh minutes skipping would do instead. Such children will como hack to breakfast glowing with life and health, and parents will find them far less prono to catch cold than they would bo under the •warm bath system. Children who have been used to warm baths only cannot ho given cold ones suddenly, but by using cooler water each day cold may bo reached in a few days. It is better not to make a start of this kind in tho cold part of tho year, but children who are accustomed to it will not mind the coldest •winter day. Never let them sit about afterwards, hut make them take somo form of exercise immediately.

By the time a, child is 18 months old and able to run about to get up-hiß.cir-culation, ho should bo bathed habitually In this way; but long before that he should be gradually getting used to cold water. Unless it jb in mid-winter, a normal infant's bath should bo gradually ■reduced from a temperature of lOOdeg. I'. till by the time ho is six months old it is down to 70deg. P., alwayß giving him last thing ouo sponge down the back with ■ water some lOdeg. cooler than his bath. Have a littlo bowl of cooler water ready for this purpose. Ono of the finest children I ever say at seven mouths passed once straight through tlji cold shower after his morning bath, lie had. of course, reached this point gradually, lie loved the cold water, and ho was a magnificently strong, hardy baby. A shower is not available in every house, but the cold bath can always be worked tip to by tho age of 18 months or so with an ordinary healthy child. School. Do not on any account send children to school or give them lessons too early. I have not space enough to enter into all the reasons here. Stufflce it to say that parents who let their children begin actual school work before they are seven years old are doing them barm, which they do not realise in the least. Often they think there is no barm done, becauso it is "no trouble to tho child." During tlie first six or seven precious years of life tho brain is attaining almost its full size and weight. Any burden of concentration laid upon it during that time tends to stunt iustcad of developing it. Children who begin school at five vears, as, alas! many do, are found to fall bchind in a few years' time, aud havo often been outdistanced at, Bay. 10, even when they aro strong, by children who have had to be kopt away from school till they were seven years old becauso of delicacy. The Kindergarten, Even a kindergarten may easily sin by expecting a child to sit still and concentrate its mind too long, perhaps on rather small scalo work, while for excitable children the games can soon become too stimulating. Moreover, as has already been said, many a. child is at a kindergarten who ought still to bo having & morning rest.

I know the occupation offered bv kindergarten or school is a great temptation, especially in the case of tho only child, hut iii tho best interests ot the future it. should bo resisted. In any who imelllgcnt children arc learning all day long In tho world thai, is opening all about them. In addition, they have to acquire all sorts of habits for the future, and much can bo taught them through occupation such as gardening, keeping petH. etc. Tho child who comes to school at about seven, with habits formed of obedience: tidiness, regularity, and quickness to observe is already a long way on in tho process of education; and as time goes on the benefit of not having drawn upon hiß brain aud nervous system too early by actual school work will plainly be seen.