REARING AND TRAINING OF CHILDREN, 207 



a toss of triumph, then graciously consented to change 

 the subject. Such treatment of children is nothing less 

 than brutal. 



The " awkward age " in boys renders them often deeply 

 sensitive to being rebuked or criticised before visitors, 

 and especially before their own friends. If you are a true 

 and sympathetic mother, you will gracefully help your 

 boy out of little mishaps, and quietly pass over his faults 

 and blunders, until you can speak to him at the right 

 time. A boy wants a reliable, faithful, kind-hearted 

 friend in you, and not an anxious, constantly-nagging gov- 

 erness. Somebody has said " There is nothing so beauti- 

 fully chivalrous as the love of a big boy for his mother. 

 I never yet knew a boy to ' turn out ' badly, who began 

 by falling in love with his mother." It would very much 

 brighten and reform our social world, if we could see 

 more of this happy, trustful, thoughtful devotions of boys 

 for mothers. And how is it to be had unless the mothers 

 are wise, faithful, high-minded, yet tenderly sympathetic 

 friends of their boys ? 



Angry punishments are always avoided by the best 

 parents. Very few of us, while in our right minds, will 

 fly at a child and give him furious, unexplained blows. 

 We should choose people of our own size for such out- 

 breaks, and then we may possibly receive what we richly 

 deserve in return. There are not many children that are 

 improved by being whipped ; and angry whippings, such 

 as are often given, lower and belittle the parent, and 

 make him hateful, not only to the child, but to himself, 

 if he has any conscience. There are ways of punishment 

 that spare the self-respect and dignity of the child, pos- 

 sessions to which he has a divine right, and at the same 

 time detract nothing from the self-respect and dignity of 

 the parent. 



. The child can be deprived, not of his supper, for that 

 would be a physical injury, but of some special privilege 



