JPK Huson 1863
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2012
- Location
- Central Pennsylvania
Well we warned them. Children's books illustrated infractions that could get you noticed by Santa's all-seeing eye. Unclear if dog is threatening a stick-to-the-backside but 11 months of the year it's all parents had. December brought the best disciplinarian our world has known.
It's so funny! Every generation tends to bemoan ' kids today ', don't they? Like kids being kids is new. Worst ever disciplinarian ( ever ) on the planet here, mine are just fine adults. What a hard-*** I wasn't seems a popular topic at family dinners. That whole serpent's tooth thing applies. I'm not sure you can ruin children despite all cautionary tales otherwise.
Children keeping an eye peeled for Santa this time of year isn't new, either. Single time of year we have any leverage whatsoever as parents. Looking into what was considered awful enough for Santa's ubiquitous list, not-a lot has changed over 150 years. And what Santa had to say.
As annoying 150 years ago as now, ' bad children ' were a ' thing ' although' there were no on-line tips for frazzled parents. Snark in the news must have been thought helpful. Bet it wasn't.
Spoiled children were considered ' bad ', well, still can be. Love this because our tendency to treat them like little adults aroused criticism in 1861. Harper's took a shot the silliness. Not so much in 2018, we still do it.
Then came Santa although it seems a little futile. Children reading newspapers has to have been a forlorn hope.
Cannot count the moral tales, dire warnings and instructions on How To Be Good found in children's books.
In proof of the Santa theory all about how wise it was to toe that line, an Illinois newspaper tracked the down the jolly fellow. From 1862, quoting Santa Claus on the topic of ' bad children ' has to have been effective.
We tried everything..... 1864
Time out's were either threatened or discussed, hard to tell from the 1860 book once again patiently cautioning children of the unwisdom of flouting rules.
Well, spanking may have been utilized before someone finally decided it wasn't a good idea to hit kids, nothing was as effective as that weapon at hand - December. And keeping an eye to the sky because Santa was watching.
Sorry, really could not resist. Have always wondered what in blazes this little guy's story may have been. Could be entitled " Waiting For Santa ".