There were various ways of teaching and training the children.  Men would make long speeches to groups of boys, playing in the camps, telling them what they ought to do to be successful in life.  They would point out to them that to accomplish anything they must be brave and untiring in war; that long life was not desirable; that the old people always had a hard time, were given the worst side of the lodge and generally neglected; that when the camp was moved they suffered from cold; that their sight was dim, so that they could not see far; that their teeth were gone, so that they could not chew their food.  Only discomfort and misery await the old.  Much better, while the body is strong and in its prime, while the sight is clear, the teeth sound, and the hair still black and long, to die in battle fighting bravely.  The example of successful warriors would be held up to them, and the boys urged to emulate their brave deeds.  To such advice some boys would listen, while others would not heed it.

The girls also were instructed.  All Indians like to see women more or less sober and serious-minded, not giggling all the time, not silly.  A Blackfoot man who had two or three girls would, as they grew large, often talk to them and give them good advice.  After watching them, and taking the measure of their characters, he would one day get a buffalo’s front foot and ornament it fantastically with feathers.  When the time came, he would call one of his daughters to him and say to her:  “Now I wish you to stand here in front of me and look me straight in the eye without laughing.  No matter what I may do, do not laugh.”  Then he would sing a funny song, shaking the foot in the girl’s face in time to the song, and looking her steadily in the eye.  Very likely before he had finished, she would begin to giggle.  If she did this, the father would stop singing and tell her to finish laughing; and when she was serious again, he would again warn her not to laugh, and then would repeat his song.  This time perhaps she would not laugh while he was singing.  He would go through with this same performance before all his daughters.  To such as seemed to have the steadiest characters, he would give good advice.  He would talk to each girl of the duties of a woman’s life and warn her against the dangers which she might expect to meet.

At the time of the Medicine Lodge, he would take her to the lodge and point out to her the Medicine Lodge woman.  He would say:  “There is a good woman.  She has built this Medicine Lodge, and is greatly honored and respected by all the people.  Once she was a girl just like you; and you, if you are good and live a pure life, may some day be as great as she is now.  Remember this, and try to live a worthy life.”