Farm Boys and GirlsMcKeever, William A. (William Arch)
Science
Farm Boys and Girls
McKeever, William A. (William Arch)
Boys; Farm life; Girls
Now, let the little child fly into a rage two or three times and have
his anger appeased through indulgence in the thing he cries for, and he
has acquired his first lesson in the management of the parent or nurse.
He has learned that if he wants a thing, all he needs to do is to squall
or yell and the desired results will be forthcoming. But this childish
rage really furnishes the occasion for the beginning of some
disciplinary lessons. "Should I give the child everything he cries for,
or withhold the desired object until he quits?" asks an anxious parent.
Neither rule is necessarily the right one, and yet both, on occasions,
may be correct. Suppose, instead of the infant you have a five-year-old
boy who cries for a loaded revolver he happens to see in your hand.
Would you give it to him to stop his crying, or withhold it? Suppose
again he should cry for the return of his own plaything which some one
unjustly snatched from him. Would you return his plaything to stop his
crying, or let him cry it out? Now, here is implied the correct answer
in dealing with the outburst of anger in the infant. It is all a matter
of justice and fairness. If some agency, human or otherwise, snatches
his food from his mouth, and the child squalls for its return, indulge
the infant at once. If he has been well fed, comfortably clad and
bathed, and under every proper consideration should lie still and behave
himself, then do not run and take him up because he happens to be trying
your patience with his squalling. Hold him to it and let him bawl it
out. There is really nothing better coming to him if you are thinking of
the development of his character--and your own.
6. So, somewhat later on you will find this same instinct of anger
showing itself in the various forms of fighting and quarreling. The
parent who understands the true natures of healthy children will not
worry for a moment because the children show natural dispositions for
contention and combativeness. On the other hand, it will be understood
that these very tendencies furnish the occasion of many a lesson in
social ethics. How can the child ever learn to be just and fair to his
mates or square and considerate in his dealings with adults unless it be
through the give-and-take experiences that come from attempting to get
more than his share,--and failing much of the time,--and from attempting
to over-ride the rights and privileges of others, and having such
attempts properly thwarted? Indeed, it may be regarded as a great
misfortune to the child if he has to grow up as the only one in a home
and is denied the daily companionship of those of his own age from whom
he may learn justice and fairness as a result of his attempts to get
more than is just and fair for himself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account