Let us take first the quality of sympathy, which is closely allied to reflex imitation.  It is difficult to say just when the child merely reflects the emotions of those about him and when he consciously thinks of others as having feelings like his own.  This conscious thought is, of course, the foundation of real sympathy, and it comes early in the child’s life—­probably before the fourth year.

[Illustration:  Copyright by Underwood & Underwood Stories that broaden the child’s conception of the lives and feelings of others are of value in training for sympathy]

A little girl of three was greatly interested and pleased at the appearance of a roast chicken upon the family dinner table.  She chattered about the “birdie” as she had done before on similar occasions.  But when the carving knife was lifted over it, she astonished everyone by her terrified cry of “Don’t cut the birdie.  Hurt the birdie.”  No explanation or excuse satisfied her, and it was finally necessary to remove the platter and have the carving done out of her sight.  Most children are naturally sympathetic when they have experienced or can imagine the feelings of others.  The cruelty of children, is usually due to their absorption in their own feelings without a realization of the pain they inflict.

Training for sympathy then must consist of enlargement of experience and cultivation of imagination.  Some mothers do not talk enough with their children.  They talk to them—­that is, they reprimand or direct them, but do not carry on conversations, as they might do greatly to the child’s advantage.  Telling stories is one of the most fruitful methods of training at this age.  Even “this little pig went to market” has possibilities in the hands of a skillful mother.  The bedtime story is a definite institution in many families.  It deserves to be so in all.  Beginning with the nursery rimes, the stories will gradually broaden in theme, and if their dramatic possibilities are at all realized by the story-teller, the children will broaden in their conception of the lives and feelings of others.  Sympathy will thus in most cases be a plant of natural and easy growth.

Intercourse with other children and with the older members of the child’s family will also furnish constant material for the thoughtful mother.  The baby bumps its head, and the mother soothes it with gentle, loving words.  It is more than likely that the three-or four-year-old will express his sympathy also.  Surely he will if the mother says, “Poor baby.  See the great bump.  How it must hurt!” Or perhaps “big sister” is happy on her birthday.  Again, the three-year-old is likely to show happiness also, and the wise mother will help the child by a timely word to take the step from reflex imitation of happiness to true sympathy.  Nor must we overlook the occasions when some one in the nursery has been “naughty” and must be punished.  “Poor Bobby!  He is sad because he cannot play with us this morning.  He feels the way you did when you were naughty and had to sit so still in your little chair.  I am sorry for Bobby—­aren’t you?  We hope he will be good next time, don’t we?”