The child who whips and screams at his hobby-horse usually, when a man,
whips and bellows at his flesh and blood steed.
Tell him the play-horse is more easily managed by coaxing and petting,
and that loud voices make it nervous and frightened.
Suggest water and feed at suitable times, and express sorrow for the
horses with no kind boys to look out for them.
Start a humane society in the nursery and make your boy president and
your little girl honorary member, and act as treasurer and secretary
yourself.
Give him a medal when he offers food to a hungry street animal or speaks
to a driver cruel to his horse, or performs any other kind act. This
will be interesting play to your children, and it will be sowing seed in
fallow ground.
Your baby girl is already old enough to take pride in picking up the
toys she scatters, and putting her chair where it belongs. Make it a
part of your hour of sport with her to help her do these things. She
will not know she is being taught order.
I learned this lesson from a famous author whose baby son was anxious
to play about the library where his father was at work.
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