The Training of Instincts 189 



possessed by the child. Armed with knowledge 

 such as this, a nurse or teacher will soon gain 

 by the exercise of patience, justice, and unfail- 

 ing kindness, the affection and confidence of a 

 child, and may then proceed to guide his innate 

 qualities into correct modes of action. 



A young child should be allowed freedom of 

 action in order to give full play to his natural 

 tendencies, guided as they ought to be by the 

 kindly precepts and example of those entrusted 

 with his management; through liberty a child 

 comes to recognise the extent of his own 

 strength and weakness, and thus learns a self- 

 discipline and consideration for the feelings of 

 other people which by practice become habitual, 

 and constitute a sound foundation on which to 

 rear a satisfactory moral character. 



Parental affection is a strongly developed 

 instinctive faculty. It is the greatest possible 

 help to a child to feel that his parents take a 

 genuine interest in him, being at all times ready 

 to help him in his real or imaginary troubles, and 

 to participate in his pleasures. The simple 

 prayers learnt by a child at his mother's knees 

 are for him no mere repetition of words, but the 



