80
Child Guidance
lay their things away and be taught to fold every article neatly and
put it in its place. If you cannot afford even a cheap bureau, use a
dry-goods box, fitting it with shelves and covering it with some bright,
pretty-figured cloth. This work of teaching neatness and order will
take a little time each day, but it will pay in the future of your children,
and in the end will save you much time and care
To Keep Own Room Tidy—If the children have a room which
they know is their own, and if they are taught how to keep it tidy and
make it pleasant, they will have a sense of ownership—they will feel
that they have within the home a home of their own, and will have a
satisfaction in keeping it neat and nice. The mother will necessarily
have to inspect their work and make suggestions and give instruction.
This is the mother’s work
To Have Regular Hours for Sleep—How prevalent is the habit of
turning day into night, and night into day. Many youth sleep soundly
in the morning, when they should be up with the early singing birds
and be stirring when all nature is awake
Some youth are much opposed to order and discipline. They do
not respect the rules of the home by rising at a regular hour. They lie
[112]
in bed some hours after daylight, when everyone should be astir. They
burn the midnight oil, depending upon artificial light to supply the
place of the light that nature has provided at seasonable hours. In so
doing they not only waste precious opportunities, but cause additional
expense. But in almost every case the plea is made, “I cannot get
through my work; I have something to do; I cannot retire early.” ...
The precious habits of order are broken, and the moments thus idled
away in the early morning set things out of course for the whole day.
Our God is a God of order, and He desires that His children shall
will to bring themselves into order and under His discipline. Would
it not be better, therefore, to break up this habit of turning night into
day, and the fresh hours of the morning into night? If the youth would
form habits of regularity and order, they would improve in health, in
spirits, in memory, and in disposition.
It is the duty of all to observe strict rules in their habits of life. This
is for your own good, dear youth, both physically and morally. When
4
Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 142
.
5
Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 143
.
6
The Youth’s Instructor, September 7, 1893
.