Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-12-18
MAKE THEM WORK.
TIE Lpportanee OF Teaching Children to
BE Busy.


Parents do their children = grievious
wong when they do not require them
to become proficient in all branches OF
labor common to their position This
Is especially apt to occur when the faith
er and mother are strong and capable,
and can themselves perform the work
more easily and satisfactorily than can
the young people 1t requires more
patience for strong woman to super
intend the baking BY her tweive-yesr
old daughter than 10 do il herself; but
for the child's good. and her OwE con-
venience later in life, she should direct
the work and let the little girl do it.
In homes where there Is plenty 10
keep all busy. the girls are apt 10 be
put first at dish-washing, preparing veg
eiables and then sweeping, while the
mother (who has no time to teach her
taughters) does the baking and cares
for the milk. By and By. when two or
three of them are as tail rs herself,
there comes IN urgent invitation to
spend n month or two with her mother.
who. in falling health. longs for her eldes;
child. But this worried and wearied
housewife thinks Of the baking. the fruit
and butter-making. and Is she sadly
writes n refusal. vaguely wonders why
/ her daughters are not as capable a. her
neishbors. Her girls ardentiy wish
mamma TO see their grandmother; Vet
I realize their own inability. aad can not
urye the matter. After \ time the girls
marry. and unless they possess unusual
I perseverance, and =. knack." their hus-
| bands have sufficient reason to praise
/ tiscir own moihcr's cooking and dispar-
aee that Of their wives.
Among men. this state Of things Is
| equally bad. The father thinks the
/ boFs can not drive horses. or run the
| moving machine. or sow grain or take
produee 60 market Instead Of putting
/ the strong Young man n work that VIII
eail out al their tact and brain as
I vel - muscle. they are thought incap-
able. and The father does all the plan
ning. / have in mind an instance
where the father constantly STAYED at
home. being afraid to leave lost his son.
who was the real manager. should not
do the chores in proper order, or an IN
| iefinGble something should occur m
his absence,
Not only IS j: best 10 require Children
/ % do all kinds Of work but equally
ncelful Is il 10 teach them the easiest
and most approved methods \ house
/ wife once told me that for several years
/ she did the washing in her father
home and although she used every par
ticle Of strength she possessed. her
mother constantly complained that ii
was imoerfcc,ly done. After her mar
rage. she orc dsy watched a young
I girl II the w1sh-ub. and saw that her
way was Of rubbing differed from. and
was easier than her Own. and then re-
allied that she had Eeyer known how
/ 10 wash, Another, a sciloOl-teacher
I who boarded with her aunt. helping
7 her nights and mornings. said she
/ learned more that tern than did any
Of her scholars. Her aunt not only re-
quired her to do the work. but taught
her how to do il. while her mother
/ merely said. the work must he done,
| letting her choose her own way
would not have Young people dis
regard the advice ard wisdom of their
elders: neither should they be 50 de-
l pendent a never 20 plant tie.d OF put
up n jar OF preserves without their
parents oversight. Give them plain
dircctions and 81 them going; watch
withou. their knowledge. and If likely
TO be worsied. give a Little aid or
/ advice. and start them on again. II
viii be infinitely better for bOt1 parpnts
7 and children than 10 have the latter
/ turn on, 10 Be milk-and-water indiyid-
] nails without cauabliitv or 90 ahead
atiyeness. - C0EHfry GcaficmGH-