Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-01-20

DaSFOTIC MOTHERS.
intcrferc with the Growth of Inde-
,anLrr1... In Children

EthaShCt III
There are some women who seem to
Ngard their children as so much prop
.riy TO be improved and NODDED IL their
bands and turned 20 the best advantage.
No doubt such a mother usually be-
Jeves herself pattern Of all wife and
mother should be. II she were told she
was breaking up the happiness of her
aome by her perpetual complaints and
general querulousnesS. she would prob
lbly consider herself abused She
would point to her model housekeeping
and TO the care she took 10 instruct
her children in the right ways Of life.
She is quite often a conscientious wom-
an. who reiterates maXims and fails not
TO watch her unfortunate children
from morning until evening to see il
she caa find anything to criticise or
discover anything in their behavior
that others will criticise. She never for
one moment regards them rs sentient
! human beings, whose opinions and ac-
tions she should look upon as some
thing apart from herself and judge as
,he judges those of the children Of her
neighbors. The sense of ownership is
upon her constantly and the fear that
he world will not consider her children
the brightest, the wisest and most at
tractive of mortals, as she firmly in
tends TO make them.
Children that are allowed no inde-
oendence OF thought or action and are
2erpetually nagged because of petty
,aults can develop no independence of
character. Such children either rebel
against their home restrictions and are
,enceforth looked upon as ingrates and
orodigals, or they grow into weak. help
ess characters unable to battle with
The world when the strong hand that
,erpetually guided their lives can no
onger help them. Their condition 10
indeed u sad one. In order TO attain
| that personal freedom which within
proper restrictions even n child is en-
titled TO they must sacrifice the gunrdi-
| inship and love and light of home.
| This does not mean that such children
ire necessarily truants from their ia
| hers house. There are thousands of
bright boys and girls dwelling in homes
| rom which they have become SO alien
lted by the petty tyranny of their par
,nts, or OF one parent, that they are
rs much strangers to it in their Thoughts
rs though they dwelt on a barren moor
| with only the grass and heather be-
aeath and the stars over their heads
First and foremost in every ones na-
ure is implanted a God7given inde-
,endence of thought and desire for
| Independent action. \ mother can no
more order the bent of her sons mind
han she can control his walk or move
ais arms for him. She can guide both,
md by gentle counsel and the example
| II noble life show him the right way
| If living. God, who ordained that every
| Individual should have freedom of
.hoice between evil and good, has i'm
planted in even n child's heart desire
20 protect that freedom and resistance
| 20 absolute orders. Almost any child
nay be taught by persuasion and kind
words. Only n dull or british nature
will obey positive orders without a
sense of rebellion. Mothers must re-
| member that the children are a holy
rust given them to guide and bring
Up 10 the glory of God, and are not a
means to administer to their own vain
rlory and self-love.-N. Y. Tribune.