Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency)Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen
Science
Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency)
Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen
Diet; Hygiene
Whether to use corporeal punishment or not is a question that the
parents must decide for themselves. Many parents are in the habit of
nagging their children. It is, "Don't do this," and "Don't do that,"
until the little ones feel as exasperated as the Americans in Berlin,
where everything that one has an impulse to do is "Verboten." The
children have not yet acquired caution, nor are they able to think of
more than one or two things at a time. Consequently they forget what
they are not to do, and then parental wrath descends upon them. Parents
can well afford to be deaf and blind to many things that happen. Those
mothers who are ever shouting prohibitions soon cultivate a fretful,
irritable tone that is bad for all concerned, and which does not breed
respect and obedience. Make it a rule not to interfere with the children
except when it is necessary, and tell them to do but one thing at a
time.
If too many commands and prohibitions are issued, the children are prone
to forget them all. If they are talked to less, what is said is more
deeply impressed on their minds, and the chances are that they will
remember. Boisterousness is not badness, but indicates a state of
well-being, which results in bodily activity, including the use of the
vocal cords. It is common to all young animals, and the human animal is
the only one that is severely punished for manifesting happiness.
If the parents decide that corporeal punishment is necessary, they
should be sure that it has been deserved, for a child resents being
punished unjustly, and undeserved punishment is always harmful. Many
parents become so angry that they inflict physical punishment to relieve
their own feelings, and this is very wrong. If a parent calmly decides
that his child needs punishment, perhaps this is the case. The
punishment should be given calmly. Nothing can be more cowardly and
disgusting than the brutal assault of an angry parent upon a defenseless
child, and such parents always regret their actions if they have any
conscience, but they are generally of such poor moral fibre and so full
of false pride that they fail to apologize to the children for the
injustice done. These parents inflict suffering upon their children, but
they punish themselves most of all, for they kill filial regard and
love. Children have a very keen sense of fair play.
If it is decided to administer corporeal punishment, it should have
enough sting to it so that it will be remembered. Parents who temper
their justice with patience and love are not compelled to resort to
corporeal punishment often.
Children should never be hit on the head. Pulling or boxing the ears
should not be recognized as civilized warfare. Blows on the head may
partly destroy the hearings and affect the brain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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