Clothing
Children’s clothes should be warm but light, and where possible should hang from the shoulders. The legs, particularly the ankles, should be kept warm and the feet dry.
Sunshine, Air and Exercise
Give a baby plenty of fresh air, out of doors if you can, avoiding drafty places. It gives him a better appetite, makes him sleep sounder and also helps to give him rosy cheeks, a sign of good red blood.
Be careful that sheet and blankets do not get over a baby’s head; as this weight causes suffocation, so pin the covers to the side of the bed and let him have fresh air while he sleeps.
No self respecting baby would ever by himself contract the “pacifier” habit and he should never be given a pacifier. This article thrust into his mouth makes the upper jaw protrude, carries germs into a baby’s mouth, sometimes causes adenoids, is ugly to look at and finally doesn’t really pacify.
It does a baby good to lie down and kick about. Crawling and climbing exercise his muscles. Don’t let a baby walk too soon. Bow-legs come from standing and walking while the bones are soft; also from under-nourishment. But if a child wants to walk, let him make the effort; he will not pull himself up unless he wants to try his muscles. Childhood is a time to form the body; it cannot be altered much when you are grown up. Playtime should not come directly after feeding or before sleeptime.
Illnesses
What will you do when you suddenly find that baby is ill? To call in the doctor is the first thing, that is, if there is a doctor. But when there is no doctor! You will at once think of all the First Aid you have learned, and what you know of home nursing. Drugs are bad things. You may lay up trouble for a child by giving it soothing drugs and advertised medicines which sometimes make the baby stupid and may cause constipation. Never neglect the bowels if they become stopped up. This upsets digestion, poisons the baby and may help to bring on convulsions or other serious illnesses. If a child is suffering from a convulsion, lay him flat with his head on a pillow. Pat his head with cold water and put a hot bottle at his feet. If the convulsion continues put him in a warm bath of about 106° which is as hot as is comfortable for your bare elbow, but you must not keep cold cloths on his head. Use very gentle artificial respiration not trying to straighten the arms. Of course you will keep a baby away from anyone who has a contagious disease.
You can very easily train a young child to obey, but after three years old it becomes more difficult unless a good start has been made. Children expect you to be just. If you are good tempered and patient a child will stand a good deal of firmness, but slapping and scolding ruin young tempers. Answer a child’s question without ridicule. He is feeling his way in this great big world, and you once asked foolish questions, too.