OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 99, 19 January 1918, Page 5

OUR BABIES

[BY HTGIIIA.I Published nuder the auspices nf tin: Royal Now Zealand Society lor Hut Health of Women anil Children. "It is wiser to put up a lence ft top of a precipico than to maintain an imbalance at the bottom."

HEALTH LESSONS POIf CillMJltEX. ■We are fo often asked for some indu'ation of what can be taught, to <J" l(Ir <' 11 . with regard to the main rowiii health that we think it will hi' a |P to parents and teachers if we Piibli- 1 the simple lessons which the Central Coii'ioil issued during the went Baby «ot.lt. It was hoped by the council. iut £ brief lesson for each day woukl.be gou. over in ovcrv school in the Dominion: but. unfortunately, there was not. eufljcient time for printing and distribution. We are quite sure that parent:! ""'I 1 ' 1 find thtfr bovs and girls very much interc=:'* anil we Hope that a large num. ber our readers will go over theso simple lessons with their children, 'r all boys and girls were /o understand and practise what is taught, the rsii a tion would tend to be h -''' efficient, and we recommend paicnts to cut these articles out and o go ovci tliem again and again ill thu oliikhon inow them by heart and by practice FIRST LESSON. A short time ago a week was act apart ac Dominion Baby Week. Dunn- H. > Week everybody in Xew Zealand posed to take a specia interest in babies school children as well as grayi-iP~-Babies are the most wonderful, the• n ost sacred and the most valujble t.icasmes In tho world. Without, tlicm „ii l< dil T out would stop-tlie human race would die out. Therefore we should all help to tako good care of our babies. « Many babies die who ought to live, and many grow up weak and delicate who ought to be strong and well. cause those who are entrußied w'th tliejr care do not know how to look nfte rJ. Babies don't die or grow up i.eak because people are intentionally cl . J"™ unkind, hut because they do not Know wlnt is needed to lieep babies wen. If you learn what is necned for goou health, and if you try to make and. keep yourselves well and atroni, you. too, can )Hn to save the babies from death and disease. > Cleanliness.. A most important thing in the care or the baby is oleanliness. Dirt and ignorance are the babies' worst enemies, if you want to help the habits you mu»t try to bo clean and tidy. You should also seo that your surroundings'aro fmh ana clean. Never throw away papers or Irmt skins or rubbish of any kind in the playground or on the streets. Have a place lor everything, and .put everything in iu place. Always wash your hands and clean your nails before touching the baby or its food. The Main Tiling Needed for Good Health.

Now I shall toll you tlic five chief things which are needed for good health goou health for babies, good health for school children, and good health for grown-ups. Their names begin with the hrsl live letters of the alphabet. There is one for oaeli finger on one hand. Oet-tlie oniidren to repeat them, marking oil cacn on a finger):— t . , A Air.—Breaths pure, fre'h, clean, cool air by day and night. 33 Bathing.—Plenty of -water for deanli--0 Olothinpr.—Loose, light, comfortable clothing—neither too much nor too little. D Diet. —Proper food. Plain, simple food taken n.t regular intervals. Solid food must bo thoroughly chewed, vfter should bo taken after a meal, not witli it. E Exercise and Heat.—A large amount of exercise in tho open air nnd sunshine ip necessary for good health. ( Boyß and girls. as well as babies, need rest nnd plenty of sound sleep.