Our people believed that the spirits of children were not firmly attached to their body. They were careful to do things that would encourage the childs spirit to remain attached. It was felt that after a child is walking, the spirit has become used to its body. The body and soul are now working as one being. Perhaps the reason for this belief is that so many of our children died young.

We had several customs related to protecting the spirit of the child. One was in the way the baby's naval string was treated. It was stretched, then formed into a circle and wrapped with sinew or hide. It was cared for, since it represented a link between the baby and its soul. When the child had to be carried over water, even a small stream, care was taken. It was believed that a child's spirit is afraid of water and might leave the baby when the water was reached. So when crossing water, the mother dropped small bunches of brush in the water and called ani (come) to the baby's spirit.

Young Tahltan Children

Every time the baby was taken away from home, a small piece of charcoal was placed in a small bag in its clothing. This was to protect the child from other spirits.

During the first four years, Teit was told, the child's father would stroke the child's naked body. He would then hold his palm up, facing the direction of the sun rise, and blow along his palm as if blowing something off it. At the same time, he prayed aloud (to the Day dawn), saying, "May sickness always pass him by", or "May she always be go od at work", or anything else that he desired for his children.

Our children were allowed much freedom when they were young. They were treated with respect and love.

They were rarely punished, although they were expected to take responsibility for their own behaviour. They learned that every action has a consequence in a natural way. If they showed disrespect for an elder, for example, they would have to apologize and make it up to them.

A Young Tahltan Girl with Her Mother

We honoured the worth of our children as individuals. We understood that children were learning to make choices for themselves at an early age. For example, they were allowed to nurse until they wanted to stop. This might be until they were up to three years old. Other, more serious choices were also respected. For example, a boy might be very interested in hunting at young age. His interest would be supported by his father, his grandfather, his uncles, or other adults who were skilled in hunting. They might teach him how to read animal tracks. They might tell him stories of hunting as a way of teaching him certain skills. They were not forcing the child, but teaching him the skills that he would need when he was interested and ready to learn.

In another example, an elder tells a story of when she and her friend were 10 years old. They had become very interested in sewing for their dolls. They made tiny moccasins, pouches, and all sorts of things. When they asked her mother for some hide to sew, she gave them a soft calf moosehide, a whole hide. Even now, eighty years later, the elder is amazed that her mother gave them a valuable calf hide to play with. Her mother taught the daughter and her friend how important they were. And, she also encouraged their interest in sewing.

Our children were carefully watched over and given much attention until they were past infancy, about age 4 to 6. As they grew older, they gradually became more and more self-sufficient, able to take care of themselves. Our children were independent-minded. They expected to be able to take care of themselves.

Of course, our people did not have schools long ago. They knew that education never stops. We are always learning. And they knew that children learn when their spirits are supported. Children need encouragement and to feel that they can learn. Young children were not taught "lessons", but learned by being involved in activities around their home and community.

As children they played a lot, as all children do. Then, as they got older, they were able to help more and more. Girls helped their mothers with younger children, for example. Boys went out hunting and trapping with their fathers or uncles.

Our children did not go to school to learn. Instead, every day was "school" since we understood that learning was, and still is, a lifelong process. We never stop learning. Our children learned by being "helpers". Even today we tend to teach our children at home in this way. One of our women said, "I never cooked when I was at home. I was the "chief stir-er"." She is now a wonderful cook. She had learned to cook by watching her mother and by doing what she was able.

We taught our children by example. They saw how others, including adults, behaved and used that as a role model. If a child was misbehaving, they might be told, "You are acting just like ..." and the person or persons would be named. Their behavior was used as the way not to act.

Of course, other teaching methods were used, also. One was the use of stories and legends. From the time our children were young, they were told stories. As they grew older, the same stories would be told, but in more detail. Or the emphasis in the story might be different. Many lessons of life could be approached through the use of stories. Using stories as examples of "good and bad" behavior removed the judgement from teaching our children.

Another way that our children had been taught was through being "talked to", lectured, by elders. A grandmother might bring her grandchildren together and talk to them about ways to behave, and about customs and our culture. Children's questions were treated seriously and answered honestly.

One way that our children (and others) were taught was through gentle teasing. It was similar to the way cartoons or certain comedy shows (Air Farce, for example) are used today to poke fun. This was a way to point out errors without having the person lose face.

Our children had a lot to learn, so teaching began early. The whole family was involved in teaching children. Parents were also teachers. Girls were usually taught by their mother, and boys by their father. Aunts and Uncles were a wealth of information. Grandparents taught children about loyalty, honor, and a code of behaviour. They might say to children, "Behave! You know that if you behave badly, then people will say that your mother does not know how to teach you." When the topic of child care was being discussed among several elders, one said, "Our children are a precious gift. We did everything we could to protect them. We said prayers for them. We protected them from evil. And, we allowed them to see and hear only good things."

Parents were also Teachers