One thing every Sunday-School Teacher and every Parent should remember is that all attempts to experiment in the instruction of children are so many steps towards "Normal Work," in which are included the use of "illustrations," the framing of "questions," the devices to "get attention," and the effort to induce children to "think for themselves" and freely to express their thoughts, reasonings, doubts, difficulties and personal independent opinions. All these efforts not only develop power in the child, but they react upon the teacher and ensure for the "next meeting of the class" some "new suggestion," some additional question, some fresh view of the whole subject by which both teacher and pupils will be stimulated and instructed. In our intercourse with children let us aim to develop the _teaching_ motive, and we shall not only make the work of the "class room" profitable to the pupils, but each of us will find new delight, new inspiration and an unanticipated degree of success in this beautiful and divine ministry. JOHN H. VINCENT. CHICAGO AND CHAUTAUQUA, May 7, 1913. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. YOU AND YOUR CHILD II. THE PROBLEM OF PUNISHMENT III. WHEN YOUR CHILD IMAGINES THINGS IV. THE LIES CHILDREN TELL V. BEING AFRAID VI. THE FIRST GREAT LAW VII. THE TRAINING OF THE WILL VIII. HOW CHILDREN REASON IX. WORK AND PLAY X. CHILDREN'S GANGS, CLUBS, AND FRIENDSHIPS XI. CHILDREN'S IDEALS AND AMBITIONS XII. THE STORK OR THE TRUTH XIII. THE GOLDEN AGE OF TRANSITION XIV. HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT XV. FREEDOM AND DISCIPLINE ILLUSTRATIONS THE CREATIVE IMPULSE IS BORN WITH EVERY NORMAL CHILD THE IMPULSE TO ACTION EARLY LEADS TO DOING IMAGINATION SUPPLIES THIS TWO-YEAR-OLD A PRANCING STEED NEITHER ARE GIRLS AFRAID TO CLIMB ONLY A GOOD REASON CAN WARRANT CALLING AN ABSORBED CHILD FROM HIS OCCUPATION HABITS OF CAREFUL WORK FURNISH A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR THE WILL WORK IS PLAY LET THEM ROMP IN THE WINTER AS WELL AS IN SUMMER IN THEIR GAMES THEY SHOULD LEARN TO LOSE AS WELL AS TO WIN DON'T FORGET HOW TO PLAY WITH THE CHILDREN THE BOYS NEED A CHANCE TO GET TOGETHER IN THE COUNTRY CHILDREN BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THE FACTS OF LIFE YOUR CHILD TODAY AND TOMORROW I. YOU AND YOUR CHILD Housekeeping, in the sense of administering the work of the household, has been raised almost to a science. The same is true of the feeding of children. But the training of children still lags behind, so far as most of us are concerned, in the stage occupied by housekeeping and farming a generation or two ago. There has, indeed, been developed a considerable mass of exact knowledge about the nature of the child, and about the laws of his development; but this knowledge has been for most parents a closed book. It is not what the scientists know, but what the people apply, that marks our progress.