OUR BABIES

Patea Mail, 9 May 1941, Page 4

OUR BABIES

BY HYGEIA Published under Hie auspices of the Royal New '/calami Society for the Health of Women and Children. (Blanket Society). "It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an .unbalance at the bottom." In life everything' works in a circle; leave out one part of the circle and life is incomplete. Surrounding a baby there should be a complete circle of love and care made up from 12 carefully thought out points. These are: Fresh air, food, water, bathing, cleanliness, exercise, sensory stimulation mothering and management, correct clothing, warmth, regularity, and sufficient rest and sleep. Every spoke in this wheel, whoso centre is the baby, is a real necessity to guard the child and to carry him to the goal wo all desire —healthy, happy childhood, and the development of a stable, honest adult personality. Every circle or wheel has a circumference; let the circumference of your wheel be confidence. Babies and children arc like animals, born without fear but with a strong instinct — that is unlearned behaviour. This instinct is superior ill anima’s because more developed, but chudveu arc equipped with a mind ami intelligence which must bo trained to control their natural instinctive urges. 1 J a man lias confidence in his ability handle a horse, that horse knows and owns his master and works for him and with him, but instinct tells every horse when its rider is afr.u-I. There is something real to tear because the horse gains the mas'.,:.'/. '1 ho same thing applies to children. M.o-i piVdilems of childhood, such as tempers, bed-wetting, fear of the dark, etc., arc caused by lack of confidence in the people who are handling the child. So give the child a sense of security by the example of your own life and' work that confidence into every section of the circle of care. Commence with good mothering, the first essential for confidence. Mother love is born with the child, but it must not be separated from its partner, management. And it is unwise to accede to every demand because you cannot bear to thwart a child. Have few "Donf's," but those you have decided are necessary for his protection and development abide by. Choose your "dont’s" carefully and thoroughly and start as you intend to carry on; Regularity follows in all matters pertaining to his daily routine. Habits once regulated -and established stay for life. Good habits arc as easy to establish as bad ones. Do not look for or mention bad habits and there will bo none to yorrcct, but should a child contract a bad habit it must be checked firmly at once. The rule of a daily bowel action is well established before the toddling stage is reached. Keep to that rule by placing the toddling child on his chamber or commode chair immediately after breakfast or at his regular time. See that the chamber or chair is of the correct size, so that the child is not restless and Concentration on the idea is defeated. Then, as the toddlth 1 grows, he should need only a* reminder of the time of day. It is wise for the mother to satisfy herself of the condition of tire motion from time to time. The habit of cleanliness is fairly easy to instil, because the 'toddling child is so imitative and will do just what father and mother do with great pleasure —washing hands after being sent to the lavatory j|id before all meals, delight in clean, fresh clothes and pure air, tidiness in regard to toys. 'These can be so easily trained into a child without any obvious teaching, by one’s own example. Make the warm bath a daily cleanliness habit, and the cold shower that follows act as a stimulation of the whole body. Stimulation also comes from sun-bath-ing and outdoor and indoor exercise, and is needed to keep the circulation good, the muscles strong, and the skin functioning and healthy. Always remembering Unit eyes, head and back of the neck have to be protected from direct sun’s rays, and that the tanning process must be done gradually. Do adults like the mid-day sun themselves? Ho! Then, protect the tender skin and body of the young child and sun-bathe only before .11 a.m. and after 3 p.m, unless the child ir. accustomed -to exposure. Play outside is the best exercise a child gets, and the toys he uses should bo chosen carefully so that they educate his eyes and muscles and train his memory. They teach colour, balance, vision, and the limits of his own safety, Teach him to know trees and plants, animals and insects; let him handle them and love them and he will never be cruel if he knows their simple family history. • He will lie very inquisitive as his brain grows and the world opens out to -his exploration. Satisfy his questions yourself when they are asked. Share and live your child’s interests' even if they appear only momentary, for they will all leave their mark on his developing character; Clothing is important for the health of the pre-school ago child for warmth and for protection. We are fortunate in those days that so many suitable boiling, fadeless .materials are -available. All the doth os should be light in weight and hung from the shoulders with no tight bands round logs and waist .to encourage varicose veins or hamper breathing and movement. Shoos and socks must he big enough to alhlw for growth; and good posture is aided by proper shoes with low heels and straight inner side of the foot.

Remember to change the clothes acciording to the weather, -day by day. The food of the growing child must tie chosen and cooked to preserve as much of its nutriment as possible. Here the Plunked Society will help you with its planned menus and recipes for the different ages of the toddling child. The rule of three good meals daily, with tlie largest meal at midday and nothing but drinks and fruit in bctjwecn meal times should be firmly adhered to if the mother wants to preserve the good digestion she has built up in the first year. 'So important is the subject 'of food that next week wo will publish an article on the best sources of food for the older child. Thistly, we must mention rest and sleep for the toddling child. His day Parts early, he wakes bright and eager and lives busily every moment of his dav. 'Therefore, he needs much rest even if he does not always sleep during the day. An hour or two hours before the mid-day meal is needed, and tied not later than 7 p.m., so that ho has 12 hours unbroken sleep at night. Sleep refreshes his busy brain and allows the growth of his whole body, sv do not deprive him of it or allow him to bo stimulated by bright •lights and excitement at the end of his day. Remember that the success of your training 'depends on the confidence you give the child, and that all adults who have contact with the children should work together for his good so that the ■next, generation will be hardier and happier in their turn.