THE LADIES’ WORLD

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2483, 23 April 1909, Page 7

THE LADIES’ WORLD

THE BOY WHO IS BABSED. There' are. many bad things that a mother can do for her boy ; but one of the 'worst is to “baby” him. It is not the pleasantest thing in the world for a little boy to tear his clothes to skin his shins and to risk his limbs climbing trees, or for him to come home soiled and bruised from a fight, let it is the natural instinct of every manly hoy to get into places where there is danger. Ho likes the thrill of it, the feeling of achievement- and self-con-fidence that it - gives. To teach him that he must never go where lie is not ■perfectly safe or do anything that is not perfectly “proper” is to go far towards unfitting him for the risks and conflicts of life. . , . , , As to fighting there is much to be said both pro and eon. The bullying boy needs both restraint and pity, (■'mliting “for fun” is a very low type of “fun and should be discouraged, btill there are times when any self-respecting boy must fight. Teach him to fight only X it is Tiecossory, to fight ta.r ami with all his might, and to accept the results of the struggle without malice or complaint. Life is tall o. for all of os. T™ fight's 'W' *»*? is only one kind, and is a kind that even a bov seldom needs to indulge m. They arc* better battles to win Tell the boy this, but do not teach bim to be afraid of getting hurt or to submit to bullying or insult. , The 'babied boy is usually one who gets into fights whether he will or no. The petting, coddling, indulging process is likely to make any child smhsfii conceited and over healing. . ? who has a big. supply oi seU-impoi-tance or impertinence, without com and strength to back it up is likely to fare pretty hard when he gets out union" other boys. If he has been fcau"lit by parents and sisters to believe that he is the most precious creature on earth and that he must have his way all the time, he is likeiy <3 go through a bitter experience of disillusionment when he goes to school or on to the general play ground. Lot the bov be loved; let him even display freely his affection for othersThere is nothing unmanly in that ana tew bovs from eight to fourteen have £ courage of their . affections. Lot him stand up for his rights, firmly but courteously and ns a matter oi P”“ C 1" pie. Let him be taught, however, that his rights are no greater than those of others and that life is a -great game ot give and take. The bov who has been petted too much is usually unpopular with other boys. Most boys despise a molly-cod-dle,” and thev are, of course, right about it. Most boys, however, are , ready to honor the boy who is avowedly in love with his mother or his baby sister, especially if he also possesses courage and strength. Courage and strength are the normal hoy’s idols, After awhile he may value other things more, but at ten the man who can lift a barrel of flour is a far greater 'hero than is the man who can make a line speech or who has a lot of money. Along with this worship of physical force grows and develops the admiration for mental and moral force. They are only different branches from the same stem. The.boy who tells the truth always or who is not afraid to condemn a wrong thing will never lack for friends among his fellows. The boy who is shielded and humored and pampered, however, seldom develops these traits as does the one who is early taught respect for the wishes and the welfare of others. He is more likely to develop an inordinate selfishness and an intolerable impudence. Indeed the “spoiled” boy usually revenges himself upon his spoilers, since the things that seem “cute” in a child of six or seven are likely to seem, even ■to his doting friends unendurable when he is ten or twelve. '