A PLEA FOR THE CHILDREN.
By A. K.
A commanding tone wears both parent and child, and is like a creaking door hinge to the listener. What must it be to the pure beings that God sends to guard the children? Father and mother, were you ever able to act naturally when placed under the scrutinizing eyes of one who is always looking for evil? Was it not easy for you to be good while in the presence of some one whom you knew to be helpful and charitable? “Charity thinketh no evil.” Did you ever hear anything like this: “There you are at the same old trick again; I knew you would be, I never saw such a child.” And so the parent goes on, repeating the child’s faults, and holding them up before him much magnified, till the little one really feels that he is one of the unaccountables, one of the worst of children. Try the other way. Overlook little things which are but childish pranks. If you see him repeating something which is not right, talk to him kindly about it. Show him the results of both ways. Tell him you know what it is to try to be good, and fail, as you have just such times yourself. Explain that, finally, good will overcome evil, as the power of God is greater than the power of Satan, and that the foe we are fighting has already been conquered. If the child fails again, say, “Well, you did lose the battle that time, but God knows you meant to do right, and by and by you will get the mastery.” Place confidence in him, and let him know you are looking for good results; they will come. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” If he has your confidence, he will dread to disappoint you. I well remember a country school, where we had one little boy who would rob birds’ nests. The children found a nest, which they had closely watched, robbed, and told me, in Willie’s presence, that he had robbed the nest. I said, “Why, no! Willie would not rob a nest, especially if he knew it was wrong.” The look of surprise in his face, caused by the unexpected confidence I placed in him, told me that he would never do such a thing again. The victory was gained, and I received a valuable lesson. He was a changed boy from that day; he knew I was looking only for good from him, which expectation made him respect himself and me. “Children may wish to do right, they may purpose in their hearts to be obedient and kind to their parents or guardians; but they need help and encouragement from them. They may make good resolutions, but unless their principles are strengthened by religion, and their lives influenced by the renewing grace of God, they will fail to come up to the mark.”—“Testimonies for the Church, Vol. I, page 399.” Let us redouble our efforts for the lambs of the flock. I see nothing in my children, in the way of wrong, but what they have learned from “children grown tall.” So let us learn to control ourselves before we look for better children. How much children are caressed when in their infancy and innocency. “What sweet little things!” But alas for poor baby when he is a few years older! He is not “so sweet” then, and must stand aside to see baby number two loved and caressed, and now he shows such a “bad disposition.” But what school has he been in? Who has been his teacher? By beholding, he has become changed. Who is to blame? I know of no truer mirror than our children. Do not you see yourself reflected many times as soon as the children are old enough to act out what they have seen in you, and have inherited? We are too harsh and severe with them under many circumstances. Let us get right before God, and deal with them as our heavenly Parent deals with us. “Parents cannot succeed well in the government of their children until they have perfect control of themselves. They must first learn to subdue themselves, to control their words, and the very expression of their countenance. They should not suffer the tones of their voice to be disturbed or agitated with excitement or passion.” How many of us who are parents have this perfect control? God is able to make grace abound in us. My prayer is that God will help us to square our lives by His word, and save the children. Let every parent read “Dangers of the Young,” in “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. I. The writer had many a struggle to get where she could smile at the noise and pranks of mischievous children, especially boys who seem to have no other way of giving vent to their energy. A child readily learns who is annoyed by his presence, and will soon become a constant nuisance unless one studies the disposition, and deals with it accordingly.