The Iola register., 1900-11-30
FAMILY HONESTY.
False Conceptions which Frequently
Lead the Young Into
Error.

There is no greater mistake than
that which parents are constantly maxi
ing when they allow their children's
notions of what they should do to be
formed on the basis of what some other
family can afford, says the Home
Magazine.
We want our young folks to be graft
fed. We are half ashamed to have
been so unsuccessful in life as to be
unable to crafty them. Our pride
comes in, and we often fancy we are
keeping our children from cares with
which they ought not to be burdened,
when we are simply unwilling they
should know our own great struggles
and our small success.
Many a girl goes through her expen-
sive and often useless education, and,
afterward, through years in society,
spending more money, wearing better
clothes than she ought, simply because
she never knew the truth concerning
her fathers affairs. Mother manages
to supply her wants; mother goes over
the accounts with a harassed and over
burdened man, and the bills are paid,
and more bills contracted, and the
young girl enjoys her luXuries in happy
unconscousness of cost. Under the
same severe strain upon his father
many dashing youth pursues his easy
way through college. hardly guessing
that the burdens which his young,
strong shoulders are spared, are press
ing heavily upon his fathers life.
Under this false conception of the
family resources, college boys and So
ciety girls alike come to feel in
diligence to be a right. When the
truth finally makes its way to their
knowledge, it meets with as much in
dignation as surprise. They feel de-
frauded of birthright. when in fact
there was never any birthright or any
other right to luxurious living. There
was only the overweening pride and
weak indulgence of parents who could
not deny them. and could not bear to
have them know they ought to be de-
MED.
At the very outset this falseness Of
family life should be resisted or over
| thrown--if already II has taken hold
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| Every child Of suitable age should be
made to understand just what amount
of money can rightfully be spent. The
young folks. eager to begin their work
in the world. and to fill their own place,
will begin all the better for a closer re-
lation to the life of the home, and a
closer knowledge of its small worries
and its trifing joys.
Before they become engrossed, either
as men or women in the world outside,
is the time to make them thoroughly
familiar with the world within. Let
the college youth find his way into the
hiding place of his fathers anXieties
and hopes and cares. He has been the
petted child; make him the trusted
friend. Let him feel that some of the
planning for the welfare OF those
younger than himself, some of the
thought as to the comfort and protec-
tion of mother and sisters, is trans
ferred to his heart, and that hence
forth the father shares his business life
with him. Let his mother get ac-
quainted with him and make him her
assistant and friend.
And what the son becomes to both
parents, should the daughter be as
well. Both should know the family
life in detail; its resources and its
needs. and together in nine cases out
of ten, if really trusted, they would
unite to uphold the parents hearts
and hands. There is nothing more de-
structive to youthful character and tC
home happiness than this separation
of interests that begins with the schoo
life. There are difficulties in overcom
ing the evil results of this drifting
apart, but if the matter is rightly man
aged by parents the young folks vii
take the larger share of the effort, anC
count it only part of the fun. Nouns
folks are born reformers II you doub
it give them a fair chance at the recon
struction of their own home.