The above is a fruitful cause of bad management.  In truth no one is prepared to govern others unless he governs himself.  A fretful spirit and an impatient manner can do but little else than awaken opposition in the breast of the child.  Such a course can never secure confidence and love.  Every parent is here exposed to err.  We are never prepared to administer discipline without possessing the spirit of Christ.  It would probably be a good rule to adopt never to correct a child until we have been upon our knees before God in prayer.  It would be a great preventive to a spirit of impatience.

3. A want of decision.—­One reason why some find so much difficulty in the management of their families, is owing to the manner in which they address their children.  They never speak with any degree of decision.  The child judges it doubtful whether the parent means what he requires.  He therefore hesitates and hesitates before he obeys.  He foresees this habit, and hence he neglects obedience altogether.  For the want of decision, he is under the necessity of repeating his commands again and again.  What a wretched practice!  No one should think he governs his children without they obey him at once.  He should never expect to repeat his commands, and he should speak in such a manner as to lead the child to infer the parent expected him to obey. Manner has great influence. Expression is more than half.

Where submission takes place under such circumstances, it is generally of the genuine kind.  There is no spuriousness about it.  And there is not often any more trouble about discipline after that.  The question is decisively settled.  It is not every child that manifests its rebellion so much all at once.  They manifest it little by little, daily, as opportunity offers, and then they will appear more easily to yield.  It is to be feared, there is but little genuine submission in many such instances.  At least there is but one course for the parent—­to keep up the discipline so long as he manifests the least particle of rebellion.  If he shows rebellion in any particular way, you should not try to avoid it, but meet it, and effect the work of entire submission.

4. Correcting with an improper spirit and in an improper manner is another cause of bad government.—­Some never chastise except in a rage, and then no one is prepared to do it.  They must get very much excited before they undertake to correct the child, and then perhaps when the child is not in the least to blame.  He lets a pitcher fall, or breaks a plate, the parent flies into a passion, and begins to beat the unlucky boy or girl.  Perhaps no positive correction was deserved.  Such a spirit can never benefit a child.  Some never think of reproving a real fault.  It is only when an accident occurs, or some unintentional mishap is done, that the rod is ever used.  To be sure there might be blame, but nothing compared with some acts of deliberate and willful transgression, when no correction is given.