Tea and coffee are very harmful beverages for children.
They give a feeling of rest when insufficient food has been taken.
This is what we call stimulation.
What we mean is that the nerves have been acted upon so that we feel refreshed, although we have received no real strength such as comes to us from food.
When children’s nerves are abused in this way they will be irritable and weak and apt to become ill.
The following drinks are excellent substitutes for tea and coffee:
Milk—A real food. Makes blood and strength.
Cambric Tea —Equal parts of hot milk and water sweetened to taste.
Cocoa —A food drink. Makes flesh, heat and strength.
Cereal Coffee —A drink for variety. Will not affect the nerves.
Cocoa Shells —The outside of the cocoa bean ground fine. Not a food, but an excellent drink.
There are plenty of debatable points about how to bring up a child.
Shall he use right hand and left equally?
Shall he toddle to kindergarten at four or run wild, untaught, till seven?
Shall he ever under any circumstances be spanked?
The world is not agreed.
But on one subject enlightened opinion is unanimous—children must not be scared.
Don’t run to baby and pick him up the minute he falls. The child whose mother runs to him and moans over him the minute he falls is a much to be pitied little man. Her terrified face and cry of “Are you hurt, darling? Tell mama where. Poor little pet!” etc., will make him cry at once, whether he is hurt or not.
Very soon he will imagine that the slightest untoward event hurts him and will grow peevish and fretful.
A child who is not fussed over by a nervous and adoring mother is very different.
He may have many falls. He probably will. But very soon, with his mother’s cheery
“No damage done, dearie,” in his ears, he will learn, unless things are really rather bad, to pick himself up and go on quite happily with his interrupted game. –Edna Egan
