Household.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1568, 22 July 1882, Page 6

Household.

JUDGMENT A\D FORETHOUGHT IS THE EDUCATION OF CUILDRRN. I\ a very thoughtful and suggestive inquiry as to the reasons why "promising" children so seldom turn out as parents and friends anticipate, the Philadelphia Public Ledger discovers a potent cause of failure in the manner which parents will find worthy of serious consideration. After speaking: of the more familiar ways of spoiling children by unwise management or improper training, the Lcihjcr says : The truth is, we need more forethought and less self-indulgence in. the training of our youth. AYe please ourselves too much, and study their future too little. Ib is so easy and pleasant to gratify our own vanity or an-bition by stimulating and exhibiting them in points where they excol ; it is ho hard and comparatively tame to exercise them in what they are deficient, and to foster their most meager abilities. Yet, until educators acquire tho necessary self-control and patience to do the latter : until they can work quietly and steadfastly without display, and fix their aimon, future results instead of prosent gliFtor, the most promising children will continuo to sink down into inferior men and women. Tho qualities that are the most r attractive in childhood aro not by any means the most, valuable in maturity. Wo look for determination, -will, decision 01 character, firmness in the "man, and refuse him our respect if he have them not. But when the child exhibits these qualities, even in their incipient stages we are annoyed, and, perhaps,' repulsed. Instead of rejoicing in hia 'strength of will and guiding it into right channels, we lament it as a grevious fanlt in him and a misfortune to us. It is the meek and yielding child who cares not to decide anything for* himself, in whom we delight, and whose feeble will wo make still feebler by denying it all exercise. Yet, when he grows up and enters tho world and yields to temptation, and,i perhaps, disgraces himself and his family, we, look at him in imbecile wonder that so (JooeVa, child should have turned out to. be so bad a man, -when in ' truth, his ' course has only been' the. natural outcome of his past life --and training. The- power ' of,, standing firm' and going^albne,- we ?kno ( w t ho be desirable in the adnltf, r ;but- r the>chUdj jeeras morft ikfrable .-who is^ui^rly^depen-;, 1 dent^uponsglsis-ian'di.wß ?fh 4 eisf ore] strive^ to,"

one thing to another at our pleasure : and while we praise him for his ready obedience, or rebuke him for seeming absorbed, we are really breaking down the power of concentration, and depriving him of its invalimblo results. It is true that many things are suitable for manhood that are not for childhood, but this not the case with mental and moral qualites. If it were there could be no such thing as consistent preparation for a good and useful life. Every quality that the man or woman needs is incipient in the child, and needs development and exercise. Our part in his training is not to cherish in him simply what is most attractive to ourselves, or what feeds our own and his vanity, but rather to study his future needs, and to help him to supply what is most lacking. It is where he is deficient, not where he excels, that our earnest effoits are demanded. Not until parents and teachers realize this so fully as to identify with it their interest and pleasure in all their charges, will promising children fulfill their promises, and the question no longer be asked, "What has become of them?''