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Child Guidance
Overcome Natural Spirit of Obstinacy—Some children are nat-
urally more obstinate than others and will not yield to discipline, and in
consequence they make themselves very unattractive and disagreeable.
If the mother has not wisdom to deal with this phase of character, a
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most unhappy state of affairs will follow; for such children will have
their own way to their destruction. But how terrible for a child to
cherish a spirit of obstinacy not only in childhood, but in more mature
years, and because of a lack of agreement in childhood, nourish bitter-
ness and unkindness in manhood and womanhood toward the mother
who failed to bring her children under restraint
Never Tell Child, “I Cannot Do Anything With You.”—Never
let your child hear you say, “I cannot do anything with you.” As long
as we may have access to the throne of God, we as parents should be
ashamed to utter any such word. Cry unto Jesus, and He will help you
to bring your little ones to Him
Family Government to Be Diligently Studied—I have heard
mothers say that they had not the ability to govern which others have,
that it is a peculiar talent which they do not possess. Those who
realize their deficiency in this respect should make the subject of fam-
ily government their most diligent study. And yet the most valuable
suggestions of others should not be adopted without thought and dis-
crimination. They may not be equally adapted to the circumstances of
every mother, or to the peculiar disposition and temperament of each
child in the family. Let the mother study with care the experience of
others, note the difference between their methods and her own, and
carefully test those that may appear to be of real value. If one mode
of discipline does not produce the desired results, let another plan be
tried, and the effects carefully noted.
Mothers, above all others, should accustom themselves to thought
and investigation. If they will persevere in this course, they will find
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that they are acquiring the faculty in which they thought themselves
deficient, that they are learning to form aright the characters of their
children. The result of the labor and thought given to this work will be
seen in their obedience, their simplicity, their modesty and purity; and
it will richly repay all the effort made
18
Manuscript 18, 1891
.
19
The Review and Herald, July 16, 1895
.
20
The Signs of the Times, March 11, 1886
.