The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-01-17
PARENTAL HoNEsTY ZEE BEsT
chndren Absorb Much More of TaIk
Than Mothers Suspect, So pruth
should BE spoken.

Than Mothers Suspect, SO Prnth.
should Be spoken.
-
Many a child has been unconscious
" taught to deceive by a mothers
thoughtIessness. How often have we
heard children, after some naughty
behavior, plead with the mother mot
to tell papa;7 or perhaps the parent
herself has said: IF youth promise
not to do it again, I won't tell papa
this time The child may not really
consider his father an ogre, but he
too often does feel that if his faults
can be concealed from him he is for
tunate. Men rarely have patience
with children and so trivial things
r apt to receive punishment IN un-
due proportion, and the child breads
'paternaI justice" says the Home
Magazine. 2 .
Perhaps the mother, in talking over
home matters, may conceal some de-
tails in a way that the child cannot
understand; and he naturally foI-
lows her example without the bene-
fit of mature Judgment, considering
that if it be right to keep back one
fact it must be so to withhold any
which do not reflect to his credit.
Little receptions like this often do
nor real harm than an actual lie, in
that the habit grows so unconscious
". Mothers frequently say: "I don't
see how my children ever learned to
be untruthful, as I have always
taught them how wrong it is to tell
a lie;" and yet the same mothers
have set an example which would
indeed astonish them could they but
see themselves as the little ones see
them.
Children absorb much more than
parents realize and we cannot be too
careful in our conversation before
them. If there ever is a time when
deception is j~ustifable, it is not with
the child. We would better explain
frankly why ~we say certain things
than leave a wrong impression in
their minds. Remember that their
horizon is narrow as yet and that
their minds are always asking
''why?'' The child should feel from
his inner nature that mother does
right because it is right and not, it
must be right because mother does
it, although the latter conclusion is
a perfectly natural result of the
former condition.
By ~deprecating the ~concealing of a
chiId's faults from others we do not
mean to advise the daily rehearsal of
domestic worries. That is one of
the worst things that a woman can
do, and yet it is common enough for
a man to hear a tale of woe on his
return from the days work-perhaps
served up at the supper table, too.
Women do these things so thought.
Iessly, never realizing how depress-
ing it must be to have home troubles
retailed nightly when a person is too
tired to be sympathetic. We do not
wish to belittle the cares that women
have, indeed they are many and har-
assing; but we should remember that
the men have their, daily cares as
well and that if the home isto be the
best place on earth it must Be pleas
ant.
Let the conversation be cheerful
d1lu h6Gp the u4SdBESed&IE IN Ntle
background for a time at least.A If
there are things to be discused
which are not pleasant, they will he
treated more wisely after a con-
Portable meal and a brief rest. DOM
make the dining-room a clearingf
house for troubles, nor make thsi
children feel that they are likely I'd
be scolded at any minute Tor pre-
vious misdeeds. If these are SUCH
that it seems best to consult the "a
Their, tell the facts just as they arr
or keep them to yourselves. Many az
fault will disappear if ignored and
it is a wise mother who knows when
to chide. Teach the child to feel that
he viii be treated justly and you need
FaVe little fear Of his %deceiving you.