Of course there will be times when it is inconvenient for the
parent to attend to the questions of the child, and when he
must, consequently, be debarred of the pleasure and privilege of
asking them; but even at such times as these the disposition to
ask them must not be attributed to him as a fault. Never tell
him that he is “a little tease”—that “you are tired to death of
answering his questions”—that he is “a chatter-box that would
weary the patience of Job;” or that, if he will “sit still for
half an hour, without speaking a word, you will give him a
reward.” If you are going to be engaged, and so can not attend
to him, say to him that you wish you could talk with him, and
answer the questions, but that you are going to be busy and can
not do it; and then, after providing him with some other means
of occupation, require him to be silent: though even then you
ought to relieve the tedium of silence for him by stopping every
ten or fifteen minutes from your reading, or your letter-
writing, or the planning of