The child may be normal in all his senses and able to gain an average
success in life without much conscious effort given to improving them.
It will require very little effort, however, to greatly develop the
capacity of the different senses and thus increase the success which he
will gain, and greatly reduce the effort necessary to attain it. While
effort and use develop, neglect causes disintegration.
The fact that the eye, for example, needs development is illustrated
by the limited usefulness of this organ in infants. Professor Compayre
tells us that babies see only objects in front of them, not to the
right or to the left, and only objects that are at short range.
Your present capacity in the use of this sense organ, and the accuracy
with which you use it, is the result of the development of past years.
Conscious effort upon the part of your children will lead them to more
rapid development, and to the possibility of far greater power and
usefulness.
The value of this improvement is apparent to you, but not to the
child. The benefits to be derived will be largely dependent upon your
leadership and encouragement in making the effort. While the children
are seeking amusement, see that they combine it with these games and
exercises which will accomplish some improvement that will be permanent
and valuable to them later on.