p. 173 | Early Impressions

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 18, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 11.

Early Impressions.

It is a very important fact, and one never to be lost sight of by mothers, that the education of an infant begins at birth. The moral atmosphere by which it is surrounded will, in great measure, determine its future character. Parents often do and say things in the sight and hearing of little children which they would be ashamed of in the presence of an older person. Every outburst of temper, every peevish or fretful word, is photographed upon the mental constitution of the child, never to be effaced, although, of course, after-training may modify the impression. It is not to be wondered at that mothers, worn down with a weight of care and overwork, are sometimes fretful; but if they would remember that every hasty word in baby's presence must come back to them in still greater weight of care, perhaps they would exercise a higher degree of self-control.

Poor, tired mothers! What but the wonderful mother-love could carry them through the many trials incident to the bringing up of a young family? But there are many ways in which we can lighten our cares, and one of them is self-control in our conduct toward the little ones. It may not seem quite plain to one who had never thought upon the subject how a moral act of any kind could influence a little creature unable to comprehend anything beyond the mere physical needs of his little body. Of course, it does not know why a loving word and smile give it pleasure and the reverse pain. But you and I ought to be able to understand that every manifestation of emotion, of whatever nature, always acts upon the feelings of the child; therefore every deed of ours ought to be such as to call into action the best feelings of their nature, since the mind will become biased in the direction toward which it is oftenest drawn. It is, then, a fact easy of comprehension, that whatever we wish our children to become we must ourselves be; for whether we will it or not, our every-day actions are our baby's teachers.—Babyhood.