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Parent Issue
Day
27
Month
March
Year
1874
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The power of habit is something of which wo are every day conscious. Tho' so rnuch has beun said and written coucerning it, we necd still "liuoupon line, procept upon precept, hero a little and there a great deal" to keep in our minds the ittpoitance of' foroiing in ourchildren and strengthening in ourselves good habita It is so difficult to break up longestablished modes of action, and turn the channels of one's activities in now directions, that it is not surprising the raature in lite, who have suffered f rom no.t being started right in tho first placo, should lajas they are inclined to, great stress on tho itnportance of' making in all things a good beginning. Thero are a few habits which forra a pretty good foundation for success in lifo and insuro the friendship of the discerning and virtuous. First among these we would place the habit of self-help. This may and should be formed in a child, beforo it can walk or talk, by providing resources for its amusement and leaving it, within duo bounds, to depend upon lbose resources. Then as it grows oidor it should ba taught and gently compelled to perform in its own behalf all that it can do. Few of us but know young men and .young women perfectly helpless for all the ordinary uses of lifo. lf they alone were tho sufferers, it wouldn't matter much, but they are social leeches, always deinanding service and nevor rondcring it. Good husbands, good wives, good parents rarely, if over, are found in this class of people. Next in importance to the habit of selfhelp we would place that of personal tidiness. We do not care to guess how many American men and womon set down to breakfast every morning with their toilets half made, the men without collar and cravat, the women with unkempt hair, and the children resembling the parents in dress as much as in feature. " But you see there are so many things to do in the morning - stock to leed, cows to milk, lires to make, milk to skim, children to dress, breakfast to get - that ono can't spend much time fixiug themselves up." All very truo ; but one doesn't go round barefooted in the morning, or without washing face and hands, because a habit the reverse of all that bas been formed. " My hair is combed in the morning for all day before I leave my chambur," said an elegant housekeeper the other diy, and sho keeps no girl, aiid we couldn't heli) thinking the happiness her husband must have had just in the ono particular of seeing her every morning for twenty years with bmoothly combed hair, and neat linen collar, opposite him at the breakfast table, and of the order and cleanliness in tho household of which that one little item was an index. That "cleanliuess is noxt to godliness." should be early and deeply irnpressed on every child, and it should be taught to shrink f'rom uncleanliness and untidiness as it shrinks from vice. Another habit of great value is that of' courtesy. If a child is properly trained to ask for what he wants and make meet acknowledgments for favors recoived, to recognize tho rights and respect tho feelings of others, he will be ablo to win friends no matter what other faults he may have. This habit ho will acquire, or absorb, rather, from those around him. - 0ourteou8 children are but the reflection of courteous parents. Genuine courtesy flows out from the heart and can nover bb put on as an oustiüe garmeut. Another Qxcellent habit is that of holping others. In fact we are in the world for the expresa purpose of doiug that very thing, and if we fail in this, it matters little to any but ourselves how long we romain here. It is natural for the loving parent to do everything for his child and rcquire nothing in return, but the sooner the child is taught to deny hiinself in order to serve others, bis parents, his brothors and sisters, the more certainly will whatover is noble in him be dovelopod. We are all selfish enough, and there are very few who are not itnproved by having their impulses of benevolence stimuiated. The habit of improving one's tiroo is of importance that can hardly be over-estimated. Not that children should work all the time, but that they should spend very few hours in mere idleness and timekilling. One occupatiou should succeed another, so as to give due variety and exerciso the mental and bodily powers in harmony. Idle children are apt to ïnake idle grown folks, and there are too niany drones iu society for its good, as we all know. The last habit we will raention is that of perseverance. Life, froru beginning to end, is full of obstadas to be overeóme, of problems to be solved, of mountains to be tunneled and valleys to bo filled up, and we can hardly begia too soon our endeavors to masterdestiny. He that overcoraes in little will overeóme in much. A child should not be given a task beyond its powers, but within that limit he should be required to do what is assigned him. The stimulus of praise or reward will often be sufficiont to secure the performance of a given labor, thongh the puin of censure may sometimes be necessary. With these babits of self-help, personal tidiness, courtesy, heining others, improving one's time, and perseverance, it matteis little how poor in pmse an individual may be left, he or she will possess a bouyant power thut will raise them above adversity and pluck victory from tho arins of defeat.-

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus