Early Lessons by Mrs. Bernice Henson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 12, 1916

Early Lessons

By Mrs. Bernice Henson

MRS. BERNICE HENSON

From her babyhood I have tried to teach my little girl lessons of order and system, and I feel that so far I have been quite successful. I began by having a regular time for everything in regard to her care, such as feeding, nap, bath, and bedtime. She soon learned to expect and accept each thing at its appointed time, which kept her very good natured. As soon as she was old enough to have playthings, instead of allowing them to be strewn all over the house, I kept them together for her. When she began to walk, I taught her to pick up her playthings, and put them away neatly at nap-time, bedtime, or before leaving the room to play outdoors. I also taught her to put away one set of playthings when through with them, before getting out another set.

Now at three years of age she puts away all her playthings, and takes good care of all her things. Yet she is full of life, energy, fun, and frolic.

In undressing her when she was a baby, I always straightened out her clothes, and hung them up or laid them neatly on a chair. When she was a year and a half old, I had with me a four-year-old niece, and I taught her to hang her clothes up neatly, and put her shoes in a certain place. Ethel begged to do the same, so I fixed some hooks low enough for her, and she has kept up the habit ever since. She also has a low hook for her coat and hat, and she gets these garments when she wishes to go outside, and hangs them up when she comes in.

A little over a week ago, when she got up from her nap, she put on all her clothes, and had them on right, before any one knew she was up. She has been dressing herself ever since.