On the Training of Parents

"On the Training of Parents" by Ernest Hamlin Abbott is an early 20th-century manual that explores how to effectively raise children by nurturing positive habits instead of using strict punishments. Stories vividly demonstrate different parenting styles, from a mother who uses reprimand to one who relies on habits to teach her child good behavior. It argues against using arguments as the main form of raising your young ones, known as “government by collision,” and instead suggests guiding children with routines and self-control or "government by habit" that steers them towards making good decisions.