NURSERY HINTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6623, 12 September 1908, Page 12

NURSERY HINTS.

DIET E3K CHILDREN IN HOT TEBATKEE. id* * i<Soult to know what i, tho boat to glv« our little* onto to ea.t and drink dun-ne the hot summer days biu one thi», I*sll it* certain, end tfiot * t ( bOT i ta ® ll snould bo paid t» 1 IBI P :,rUB I t , f to tor of thoir eiistaiec, a*«a«Jy, milk. Milt Amid ao rale be boiled; in hot or sultry weather the difilonltv of teepiny it sweet through the night is yerr great. Is si alt-rnative to boiling. milk may be scalded by placin- a cap of mil); in a saucepan" of boifing water, and leaving it to stand in it without putting it on tho fire. You can always keep, milk and sweet by placing it on ico, but this is sometimes difficult if you are away from home and in rooms, whereas it is always possible, and I may say essential, in hot Heather that it ehould be boiled. Always keep milk covered over, ns there is nothing which more quickly absorbs odours ond impurities, and by keeping it wcll-eoTcrcd you avoid a great deal of contamination. Esther than giro any child milk about which there is tho least doubt, it is much safer to resort to tinned milks, of which there are several good kinds. MILK APERIENTS. It frequently happens that children going from any largo town, to either 000-rido or country for their summer holidays, suffer durieg the first few days from the great change, and nothing is better than a dose of

medicine quit© at tho commencement of tho holidays. One must strongly caution -all those in charge- of young children against giving thorn fresh bread or buns, no matter at what senaen of the year, but roost parricularily during the hot weather. They are not only unwholoroine. but to young people really daajreroas, for tho young,*©!* the child, the more litbl© will ho bo to .cuftor from the intortijial ffloppages, which, needless to ir-ay t-.so more o?riou» for them than to groundup poop 10. Tea. is a most unsuitable beverage for children. Cocoa is far more wholesome, nnd should bo made with plenty of milk. cooked rnuix. As regards fruit, most children like 'every kind, but unfortunately, every kind does not like them, so it ie well to And out whafc iff their favourite, what agrees with them best, and keep to it. Many children cannot digest strawberries, and often suffer from nettle-rash after eating the fruits; though if they are stewed with plenty of sugar, it is said children quite unable to drgest fresh strawberries suiter no whatever when e<ui;*g them cook'd. Paw fruit, as an «almost infaliiblo rule, disagrees uiih young children, so that plums and such like fruits should, if possible, be cooked for them, and if ectea witii plenty of sugar (and cream when posEblc) makes a most wholesome* diet for children of ail ages, after that ■•{ extreme babyhood. Ail mothers ought to know and realise tno dangurs aviondnut on cither bathing or paddling anyining less tnnn an hoar alter a meal. it ns most injurious, not only for children, but people of all ages, as nothing brings on indigestion, sunstroke, cramp, and counties s other ill© more speedily. JSo clu.d snould be allowed to paddle for more :man two hours a day; out to run about barefoot on tno sand all day, as long as tho feet keep warm, can do no harm — indeed, it will do good. SOAIE SUMMEK DRINKS. And what, you will ask, are tho best summer drinks? CndouotecUy, quite plain water is the best, lor it in harmices. if you i-co it, you at ouco make it injurious, tno ugh Alps of ieed-water wid no no harm, wiiiisc a long aiunk of half a pint or more will moik wonders in mining anyone’s—and snoro especially a child a—ougostion. nil iced drinks and reed foods he\© a tendency to play pranks with tho digestion, and are very O:Hn tho loanuat-oa of iile-Jong uyspt-p----eia, aa they lc>fWsen tli© activity of tno stomach bv delaying digestion. All areatod waters r*ro good, and lemon, and lime juice extremely to when maao from the natural fruit; tho so-caiicd lemonade powders, made as they often ar© from taru aici*, lactates, ale.,. aro terr often, far from bcuolicicil to young cnmlreu. j- HVGIENE IN THE NHRSEHT. , When possible tho rooms in which children have to tAeir time ehovdd always face towards the sunny ciuc. They should also xnco cherry surroundings, for children arc very ffcnsitirc, and nothing depresses them inoro than lx> coufftantiy look out at a blank wail or a dismal yard. The plan of having nurseries at the top of the lionss i<a a good one, for the air is purer there, *nd the little ones can joy themeeives without annoying others. The rooms ought -to nothing but whet is ncoeawiry for comiorf, »nd the walls should be covered with a bright sanitary paper, as being easy to keep clean. Haro tho rooms bung with pretty pictures and suu.rbje iuol-to-ff and bo careful that nothing imperfect'in the way of either drawing or painting is introduced. While choosing picture© that appeal to the clul«*v-u imagination, sc© lo it t'ia.t they suggest and maintain a high artistic standard. WINDOWS. The window© should be largo enough to lot m ph-niy of sunshine, aud it is well to have them fitted with rentalntore. Where this is net practical, a© ffoon s.z ike children leave tho room tho windows fc-ad door© should bo thrown open, to ensure a thorough change of atmosphere, and when tho weather allow© leave cue window open at tho top night and day.