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RULES FOR MOTHERS

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 11, 1870

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 36, No. 17.

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RULES FOR MOTHERS.

1. First give yourself, then your child, to God. It is not giving him his own.
2. Always prefer virtue to wealth—the honor that comes from God to the honor that comes from men. Do this for yourself; do it for your child.
3. Let your whole course be to raise your child to a high standard. Do not sink into childishness yourself.
4. Give not needless commands; but when you command, require prompt obedience.
5. Never indulge a child in cruelty, even to an insect.
6. Cultivate sympathy with your child in all lawful joys and sorrows.
7. Be sure you never correct your child until you know it deserves correction. Hear it first and fully.
8. The knowledge and fear of the Lord are the beginning of wisdom.
9. Never mortify the feelings of your child by upbraiding it with dullness; but do not inspire it with self-conceit.
10. Pray with and for your child often and heartily.
11. Encourage all attempts at self-improvement.
12. Never deceive, nor break a promise to a child.

RULES FOR HOME EDUCATION.

1. From your children's earliest infancy inculcate the necessity of instant obedience.
2. Unite firmness with gentleness. Let your children always understand that you mean exactly what you say.
3. Never promise them anything unless you are sure you can give them what you promise.
4. If you tell a child to do anything, tell him how to do it, and see that it is done.
5. Always punish your children for willfully disobeyingyou, but never punish them when you are angry.
6. Never let them see that they can vex you, or make you lose your self-command.
7. Never smile at any of their actions of which you do not approve, even though they are somewhat amusing.
8. If they give way to fretfulness and temper, wait till they are calm, and then quietly reason with them on the impropriety of their conduct.
9. Remember that a little present punishment when the occasion arises, is much more effectual than the threatening of a much greater punishment should the fault be renewed.
10. Never give your children anything because they cry for it.
11. On no account allow them to do at one time what you have forbidden under the same circumstances at another.
12. Teach them that the only sure and easy way to appear good, is to be good.
13. Accustom them to make their little recitals the perfect truth.
14. Never allow of talebearing.
15. Teach them that self-denial, not self-indulgence, is the appointed and sure method of securing happiness.
16. Above all things instruct them from the word of God, taking Jesus for their example of patience, meekness, and love, teaching them to pray as they grow up as the only preservative against error, weakness, and sin.