The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-25
WOMAN AND HER HOME.
How Mothers May Make Home More
Attractive to Their Chill
dren.
Reason why Children Prefer 70
Play With Those Older Than
Themselves
The smart Folks Of England Always Get
Tat-The Menu Is the soc Cause
Of a..

There has come TO our house little
dimplod burden and blessing combined.
making four minds 20 train. four souls Ga
be kept purel how Is this 20 Dc donei
There seem 20 be two extromities. and one
s. as dangerous % the child as the other.
Ono mother allows her child TO roam the
stroets nc large-the second requires her
children 70 stay at home without putting
horsdlf to extra trouble 20 make home at
tractive Both love and intend @ do well
by their children, but don stop 20 think
seriously why Il Is their children prefer
the streets or how the home could be- made
the more attractive Of the two. Il does
not require many toys or luxurics. Il IL
toys the child seeks on the strcetsf Give
the child CARLOAD Of toys and leave IL
90 itself. and it viii soon tire Of them.
What is the great street attraction
Mothers stop and think. What can il Der
II Is simply this. A mind STRONGER than
tho child's, stronger mind that lends
now ideas 20 the weaker. and these ideas
are eagerly grnsped aud held by the little
one, be they good OF bad. This is why a
child had always rather play with q child
older than itself. The stronger always at
tracts and influences the weaker
Now that we have found wherein lies
with TO make home more attractive. This
seems easy. especially since nature has
kindly given the child a love for mother,
homo and its own toys. Surely the moth
cr's mind is stronger than her child's or
the street urchin's. II so, then home can
be made the more attractive by the moth
er becoming interested in that which in
terests the child. Many cry out: 81 haven't
time TO invent new plays for my children.
] can't stop my work TO play with them. "
You will not have 20 stop your work
long. In fact, you viii not be stopping
your work at all, FOR isn't the watching
over and training Of your children tn
most necessary and sacred of all the work
shat the Father has given you? Take
few boards and outline n playhouse, rs
near where you work as possible, for the
little girl. Give her a box or two, son-e
broken dishes, her doll and a few general
directions. Show the little boy where and
how TO make bis barn and corrals. Give
him some stick horses string harnesses
and n box wagon. Tell them that Mrs.
- must really go home, ask them 10
call on you, then 50 about your work, and
they viii go about their play with a will,
never thinking Of the streets, and will be .
as happy as larks and rs busy as bees for
three or four days, providing that you sug-
gest something new once In awhile and
call On them at least once a day.
Take your book or paper when YOU call
on them, and do your suggesting when
they call on you and ask questions which
will cause them 10 think Of something new
20 do. For instance: Ask the little boy IL
his horse is sick He will say yes and
start out in less than a minute 10 doctor
him. Ask the little girl il she has cleaned
house lately, and she will commence at
once to change everything in her play
house.
You have your children so near Won, you
can hear and see what they are doing,
and should you hear or see anything wrong
call them TO you at once and correct that
wrong before it has time 20 take root in
the heart. Your children will have plenty
Of company If YOU viii allow IL. and 1
really think 80 best, providing you have it
positively understood that no bad lam
guage or misconduct can be INDUCED in
on your premises In three OF four days
the children viii need a complete change.
Let hurricane pass over their house and
barns. You sympsthize greatly with them
and suggest new buildings churches.
schoolhouses or anything new. As they
grow older, this same stronger mind, wild
ening out TO more intelligent things and
always keeping the lead. win hold the
youths and mai3ena as well as the child.
Minneapolis Housekecper.