it, and will be the stronger for having overcome his difficulties
himself. He should not be coaxed to stand or walk. The things in his
room actually urge him to come and get them. Any further persuasion is
forced, and may urge him beyond his strength.

Walking-chairs and baby-jumpers are injurious in this respect. They
keep the child from his native freedom of sprawling, climbing, and
pulling himself up. The activity they do permit is less varied and
helpful than the normal activity, and the child, restricted from the
preparatory motions, begins to walk too soon.

[Sidenote: Alternate Growth]

A curious fact in the growth of children is that they seem to grow
heavier for a certain period, and then to grow taller for a similar
period. That is, a very young baby, say, two months old, will grow
fatter for about six weeks, and then for the next six weeks will grow
longer, while the child of six years changes his manner of growth
every three or four months. These periods are variable, or at least
their law has not yet been established, but the observant mother can
soon make the period out for herself in the case of her own child. For
two or three days, when the manner of growth seems to be changing
from breadth to length, and vice versa, the children are likely to
be unusually nervous and irritable, and these aberrations must, of
course, be patiently borne with.

[Sidenote: Precocity]

[Sidenote: Early Ripening]