The book of the child: An attempt to set down what is in the mind of children — John Shaqi
The book of the child: An attempt to set down what is in the mind of childrenHow, F. D. (Frederick Douglas)
Science
The book of the child: An attempt to set down what is in the mind of children
How, F. D. (Frederick Douglas)
Child psychology
It would be easy enough to give many more examples than these two or
three, but they will be sufficient to illustrate the preference of
little children of all and every class for unconventional playgrounds
and games proceeding from their own vivid imaginations. Imagination
supplies the keynote to so many of the pleasures of children. How
greatly, for instance, they delight in playing at being grown up!
Nothing gives them keener pleasure than being treated like their
elders. It is partly the importance of it, but largely also the
exercise of imagination and an appreciation (duly suppressed) of the
fun of the situation.
A few years ago it fell to the lot of the writer to witness the joys
of two very small people who came by themselves (oh! the importance
of it) upon a regular visit.
[Sidenote: A Visit from Two Children.]
They were some six and seven years old, and a most reserved and
old-fashioned little couple in their ways. The elder, Reggie, was
singularly quiet and thoughtful. His face, of considerable beauty
of feature, with large grey eyes, wore ordinarily an expression of
solemnity, if not of melancholy, and it required an intimacy of some
considerable standing to obtain more than monosyllabic replies in his
high but very gentle voice.
His companion was a little sister properly called Marjorie, but who
had hardly yet outgrown “Baby.” Such an upright, delicate dimpled,
flower of a child, with the same big eyes and curling lashes as her
brother, but with a reserve far more easily overcome, and a much
greater readiness to break into smiles or even indulge in romps. She
completely “mothered” Reggie, and her anxiety that he should do the
right thing, and her little quick orders to him, were most amusing.
Their hostess met them a few days before their visit, and their
excitement about it all was intense.
“What luggage shall you bring?”
“Oh! just a hat-box or two!”
“It’s all arranged about our visit to you. I do so love arranging
things. Couldn’t we have some more arrangements?”
This, of course, Baby. So every conceivable thing was “arranged,” and
every minute of the two days planned out. Their hostess told them she
should expect them to bring lots of things in their luggage.
“Oh!” said Baby, “I shall bring my tea-gown. And what shall _you_
wear?”
The day arrived, and they were met at the station.
“Well, what luggage have you brought?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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