154
Child Guidance
for it is in the order of God that persons of varied temperament should
associate together. When this is the case, each member of the house-
hold should sacredly regard the feelings and respect the right of the
others. By this means mutual consideration and forbearance will be
cultivated, prejudices will be softened, and rough points of character
smoothed. Harmony may be secured, and the blending of the varied
temperaments may be a benefit to each
Study Individual Minds and Characters—Every child brought
into the world increases the responsibility of the parents.... Their
dispositions, their tendencies, their traits of character are to be studied.
Very carefully should the discriminating powers of the parents be
educated, that they may be enabled to repress the wrong tendencies
and encourage right impressions and correct principles.
Violence or harshness is not required in this work. Self-control
must be cultivated and leave its impression on the mind and heart of
the child
It is a very nice work to deal with human minds. All children
cannot be treated in the same way, for that restraint which must be
kept upon one would crush out the life of another
[206]
Stimulate Weak Traits; Repress Wrong Ones—There are few
well-balanced minds, because parents are wickedly negligent of their
duty to stimulate weak traits and repress wrong ones. They do not
remember that they are under the most solemn obligation to watch the
tendencies of each child, that it is their duty to train their children to
right habits and right ways of thinking
Learn the Disposition of Each Child—Children must have con-
stant care, but you need not let them see that you are ever guarding
them. Learn the disposition of each as revealed in their association
with one another, and then seek to correct their faults by encouraging
opposite traits. Children should be taught that the development of both
the mental and the physical powers rests with themselves; it is the
result of effort. They should early learn that happiness is not found in
4
The Signs of the Times, September 9, 1886
.
5
Manuscript 12, 1898
.
6
Manuscript 32, 1899
.
7
The Signs of the Times, January 31, 1884
.