Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-12-02
Teaching a Child Responsibility.


Bismarck Tribune.
Teaching Child Responsibility.
We have all heard of the man who
learned to carry an animal by lifting it
every day from the day of its BIRTH, but
we do not realize the wonderful lesson,
in the parable, applicable to our own
little ones. How many of US have been
asked, nay, ordered, to lift the full bur-
den of life at 20 or 80, when not a frac-
ton of its weight had been allowed to
fall OH our childish shoulders. Let girl
grow up without care and ignorant of
all responsibility, and you may we'll pity
her when she enters the arena of life
either to earn her living or to give her
life to her children and home. Suddenly
not one but many and awful responsible
ties are thrust upon her. Who is to
blame that she cannot dare not, face
them? We all know of husbands who
long for home comforts, but who are
cablned, cribbed, confined" in boarding
houses because their wives cannot cope
with the cares incidental to housekeeping.
| ask again, who is to blame in this mat
ter: Surely it is the mother who has let
her daughter grow up without real prep
aration for life and its responsibilities
who has shielded ner daughter, max
stead of developing her into the strong,
capable woman God intended. 1t is not
that girls are not taught how to make
cake and preserves, or even how to bake
bread and sweep a room; but they are
not trained as responsible beings. They
are regarded as the ornaments of the
home, not as partners and workers in it.
But there are little women constantly
filing the rear as their sisters step to
the 'front.'. How can we improve matters
for them?
The moment baby begins to 'feel its
feet the mother looks forward with
pride and pleasure t. its walking alone
Later on, as baby toddles about, the
mother let's it experience many a fall,
knowing 1t can only learn to walk by
trying again and again. But year or
two later, baby, seeing that mamma
folds her cloak and lays it away, putting
her hat IN certain box. initiates these
actors as nearly as possible. How does
the mother act then? Is she quick to en-
courage the child's first efforts toward
orderliness and method? 1t is the excep-
ton if she is. The very mother who
is over-anxious to set her child on her
feet will carry that child over the road
of life, taking, if possible, all responsible
ty on her own oyertaxed shoulders.
baby of 3 years can be taught to
help put her things away, and there
should be certain toys which he or she
is expected TO put up, no one else being
allowed to do the duty. A hook should
be placed within reach Of the baby arm.
and there can be hung the little hat and
sack. At 5 years old little girl can be
trained to take certain duties upon her
shoulders to relieve mamma. Here are
some of such simple duties. But remem-
Der that only one should be undertaken
at first: then, when that is fully mas
tered, another can be added.
Taxing care of the hafhrOOm duSfinp
it. rinsing the basin well and hanging
towels and wash cloths in their places
are duties that a certain child performs
faithfully day after day. 1t is true that
for some time mamma had to stand by
and see that every bit of woodwork was
busted; she had to show patiently again
and again how the basin should be rinsed
out and the marble dried, and then in
sist on the towels hanging Just 500 upon
the rack; but with firmness and tact a s.
year-old will be really interested in doing
this work. The bathroom was chosen
because there was nothing in it that
could be injured, and the black walnut
finishing showed the dust clearly. An
other duty for a little girl of 6 is to pat
the butter for the family. I grant you
that the first three or four times it is
wearisome work to the mother, but it is
tie wooden spatulas, with insides finely
grooved, are used in the patting. A bit
OF butter is manipula ted as in making
the time-honored patty cake''-we roll
it and roll it." and the result is dropped
into a bowl of sailed water Another
easy duty is to collect the silver after
each meal. though / prefer work which
can be done when the father and broth
ers are away. One motherly little maid
en- of turns down the bed coverings in
the different bedrooms. reporting if
matchbox or soapdish needs replenishing.
These are all very simple matters. but
they are all just what creeping is to
walking. The same system should be
used with boys, a number Of little duties
fitted for them quickly suggesting them
selves. Though | advocate this system
because of its influence on the childs
future, both mother and child will reap
an advantage in the present; for play
will be far more delightful to a child
who has certain duties, and there will be
less whining and cries for something to
do Only see to it that, having begun
we'll, You go on. Let each child have
certain responsibilities, according to its
age, SO that, taking few now and few
again, they shall in later life walk with
grace and dignity under load which.
but for their early training, would have
overwhelmed them.-A. n. T. in Baby
hood.
Women's Work.
Women make their own opportunities