SMILING CHILDREN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16542, 28 September 1921, Page 9

SMILING CHILDREN.

A dear old lady, whom everyone loves, said recently that she could never bo sufficiently grateful to her mother for having taught her to turn the corners of her mouth up and not down. It is a hint worth taking. We all love smiling children, and the wise mother realises that smiling is a habit that can be formed in babyhood. Psychologists go so far as to say that happiness follows smiles, not, as we are too much inclined to believe, that we smile because we are happy. And since happiness is a gift we would all bestow on our children ii" we‘could, it is worth while taking a little trouble to establish the smiling habit. One wise mother I know has taught her baby to smile when he hurts himself, instead of crying. It was delightful, the other day’, to see him pointing to a grazed knee and chuckling as if it were some huge joke. e * You’ve no idea how easy it was to teach him.” she explained to me. ' ‘ When a baby tumbles tlie shock finds expression in his emotions. If he sees you are alarmed he will bellow! But if you smile at him he smiles back, and the critical moment passes. Next time he laughs of his own accord.”