The representative., 1901-02-28
The Home.
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Woman's Department.

woman s Depaftment.
|. Teach the Children Helpfulness.
/ The best place in which to begin to
insti1 new ideas is the mind Of child.
Let every mother in the land train her
children. boys and girls. to ideas of mu-
tual equality, and to ways Of mutual
helpfulness, and in another generation
we would have made long stride for
ward. At least a mother here and there
can begin the wood work.
The energy and vitality of childhood
are almost inexhaustible. Why not turn
small part of 1t into useful channels?
Give him something to do which counts
Teach the little boys as we'll as the little
girls the use of the needle Each men,
Der of household might just as we'll
sew on his own buttons. and darn his
own stockings as to leave that great
! mountain of mending for mother to do
Why not teach the boys, too, to WASH
and wipe dishes, to sweep and dust, to
scrub, to iron, to cook simple and
healthful dishes? Why not let the
strong, robust girls learn to saw and
| chop wood, to use tools, to do out-OI-
door work? Do not be afraid that such
plan will make your boys effeminate,
and your girls tom-boys. 1t will give
your boys wholesome ideas of the ex-
tent and laboriousness of woman's work
and your girls will be laying the founda-
fresh air, the increasing lung capacity,
and the hard muscle gained in out
door work.
A great deal of trouble? Ah yes!
or less painstaking care; but think of
the results, the income Mom your in
vestment of time and trouble! AS your
children grow older, they will become
so skillful in dispatching quickly and
neatly the different household duties,
that you can take your rightful place as
planner and overseer, while your train
ed assistants carry out the work assign
ed to each. The household drugery will
then have disappeared as if by magic.
The work is all done in small frac-
ton of the time it would take to drag
about hour after hour, and do it your
for music, for recreation, for getting out
into Gods air and sunshine, every day
of your life Now you are receiving
your dividends; and your sons wife and
have cause to be grateful to you.
THE PENNY HABIT"
A student of children has designated
another peril of childhood as the penny
habit" the constant giving of small
sums wherewith to purchase sweets
and UNITS. The Indulgence exceeds fol-
ly, and becomes a crime, so injurious
are it's effects upon health, disposition
and character. The true value of money
is better impressed by the English
method of giving each child an allow
ance.
Each child of the household is given
the trifling luxuries coveted aside from
those on the family table. Whatever it
may be, whether threepence, sixpence,
OF a shilling, it is not increased OF re-
In this country, as a rule, the allow
ance is promptly spent at the beginning
of the week, the middle and end gen
erously cared for by after contributions,
prompted by the distressing poverty of
the little pocketbook, and the winsome
pleadings of the owner. That this course
is all wrong needs no argument other
than actual experience with the half
sick, cross, exacting child who is the
victim.
Foreigners attribute the lack of re-
spect and love shown to parents by
children of America as natural Sc
quence of over-indulgence. Recognizing
this as just conclusion, to be not only
deplored but remedied, reform is as
serting itself, which is speedily to be
apparent in results. At home, school,
and during vacation days, mother-loye
awakes to its responsibility, and,
strengthened by kcourage and firm re-
solve to meet it, will work wonders in
the juvenile world.
While it tends to destroy the indie
pendence and business ability of an
adult person to possess no money of his
own, without it's first being given him
by another it also, think, has a similar
effect upon children. They ought to
have an income of their own to use as
they please. This they should be given
some way to earn. They should be al
lowed to do some work outside the home
or be paid for the performance of some
task in the home.
While two little girls know do will
ingly various things to tighten mamma
work, there is one thing for which they
receive weekly wages-dish-wash
What an interest they take in payday!
With dancing eyes they laughingly say,
when the eventful day comes arounu,
Mamma, do you know what day this
is?" Each child, when paid, places her
money in her own little purse, placing
by itself the part of money intended for
Sunday contributions; what remains can
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