Page:Scouting for girls, adapted from Girl guiding.djvu/208

194 Clothing

Children's clothes should be warm but light, and where possible should hang from the shoulders. The legs, particularly the angles, should be kept warm and the feet dry.

Sunshine, Air and Exercise

Give a baby plenty of fresh air, out of doors if you can, avoiding drafty places. It gives him a better appetite, makes him sleep sounder and also helps to give him rosy cheeks, a sign of good red blood.

Be careful that sheet and blankets do not get over a baby's head; as this weight causes suffocation, so pin the covers to the side of the bed and let him have fresh air while he sleeps.

No self respecting baby would ever by himself contract the "pacifier" habit and he should never be given a pacifier. This article thrust into his mouth makes the upper jaw protrude, carries germs into a baby's mouth, sometimes causes adenoids, is ugly to look at and finally doesn't really pacify.

It does a baby good to lie down and kick about. Crawling and climbing exercise his muscles. Don't let a baby walk too soon. Bow-legs come from standing and walking while the bones are soft; also from under-nourishment. But if a child wants to walk, let him make the effort; he will not pull himself up unless he wants to try his muscles. Childhood is a time to form the body; it cannot be altered much when you are grown up. Playtime should not come directly after feeding or before sleeptime.