Teaching a Child to Walk

Exercise is essentially important to the health of theto get upon his feet.
infant. Its first exercise, of course, will be in the nurse'sThe only way to accomplish the latter intention, is to
arms. After a month or two, when it begins to sleepput both the legs into a large stocking; this will
less during the day, it will delight to roll and kick abouteffectually answer this purpose, while, at the same
on the sofa: it will thus use its limbs freely; and this, withtime, it does not prevent the free and full exercise of
carrying out into the open air, is all the exercise itthe muscles of the legs. After some months pursuing
requires at this period. By and by, however, the child willthis plan, the limbs will be found no longer deformed,
make its first attempts to walk.the bones to have acquired firmness and the muscles
Now it is important that none of the many plans whichstrength; and the child may be permitted to get upon
have been devised to teach a child to walk, should behis feet again without any hazard of perpetuating or
adopted the go-cart, leading-strings, etc.; their tendencyrenewing the evil.
is mischievous; and flatness of the chest, confinedThe best mode of teaching a child to walk, is to let it
lungs, distorted spine, and deformed legs, are so manyteach itself, and this it will do readily enough. It will first
evils which often originate in such practices. This iscrawl about: this exercises every muscle in the body,
explained by the fact of the bones in infancy beingdoes not fatigue the child, throws no weight upon the
comparatively soft and pliable, and if prematurelybones, but imparts vigour and strength, and is thus
subjected by these contrivances to carry the weighthighly useful. After a while, having the power, it will wish
of the body, they yield just like an elastic stick bendingto do more: it will endeavour to lift itself upon its feet
under a weight, and as a natural consequenceby the aid of a chair, and though it fail again and again
become curved and distorted.in its attempts, it will still persevere until it accomplish it.
It is highly necessary that the young and experiencedBy this it learns, first, to raise itself from the floor; and
mother should recollect this fact, for the early effortssecondly, to stand, but not without keeping hold of the
of the little one to walk are naturally viewed by herobject on which it has seized.
with so much delight, that she will be apt to encourageNext it will balance itself without holding, and will proudly
and prolong its attempts, without any thought of theand laughingly show that it can stand alone. Fearful,
mischief which they may occasion; thus many a parenthowever, as yet of moving its limbs without support, it
has had to mourn over the deformity which she haswill seize a chair or anything else near it, when it will
herself created.dare to advance as far as the limits of its support will
It may be as well here to remark, that if such distortionpermit. This little adventure will be repeated day after
is timely noticed, it is capable of correction, even afterday with increased exultation; when, after numerous
evident curvature has taken place. It is to be remediedtrials, he will feel confident of his power to balance
by using those means that shall invigorate the frame,himself, and he will run alone. Now time is required for
and promote the child's general health (a daily plungethis gradual self-teaching, during which the muscles and
into the cold bath, or sponging with cold salt water, willbones become strengthened; and when at last called
be found signally efficacious), and by avoiding theupon to sustain the weight of the body, are fully
original cause of the distortion never allowing the childcapable of doing so.