THE CHILD WORLD
[THE GROWING BODY]—[WORK AND STUDY]—[FOOD]—[THE NERVOUS SYSTEM]—[PUBERTY]—[REST AND SLEEP]—THE EYE—THE EAR—OTHER SENSES
THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN DURING SCHOOL LIFE
Children begin school life at an age which is, unfortunately, one of the greatest importance in their physical development. It is a truism that no mechanism, whether animate or inanimate, can do two things at once and get as good results as when all its efforts are being directed toward one object. So it is obvious that any vital energy used in developing a young child’s brain must be taken away from the amount that had hitherto been entirely devoted to physical growth. Too often this fact is lost sight of both by energetic teachers and ambitious parents.
Instead of being delighted with the rapid development of the child’s mind, parents should receive any evidences of abnormal advancement with some suspicion of its true worth.
WHEN THE CHILD FIRST
GOES TO SCHOOL
At the age of six, when the average child first goes to school, practically everything he sees is new and interesting, and worthy of deep consideration. His brain gets no rest from the time he wakes until he goes to sleep at night.
To do its work, the brain needs a full and active blood supply, and this it will take often at the expense of leaving an inadequate amount for the demands of the rest of the body.