go completely into the child's world of thought and
imagination. No attempt should be made to teach them at these
times anything else but the old satisfactory games. The
experiences derived from these games about the nature of the
children, who are stimulated in one direction or another by the
game, must be kept for later use.

Games in this way increase confidence between children and
adults. They learn to know their elders better. But to allow
children to turn all the rooms into places to play in, and to
demand constantly that their elders shall interest themselves
in them, is one of the most dangerous species of pampering
common to the present day. The children become accustomed to
selfishness and mental dependence. Besides this constant
educational effort brings with it the dulling of the child's
personality. If children were free in their own world, the
nursery, but out of it had to submit to the strict limits
imposed by the habits, wills, work, and repose of parents,
their requirements and their wishes, they would develop into a
stronger and more considerate race than the youth of the
present day. It is not so much talking about being considerate,
but the necessity of considering others, of really helping
oneself and others, that has an educational value. In earlier
days, children were quiet as mice in the presence of elder
persons. Instead of, as they do now, breaking into a guest's
conversation, they learned to listen. If the conversation of
adults is varied, this can be called one of the best
educational methods for children. The ordinary life of
children, under the old system, was lived in the nursery where
they received their most important training from an old