The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-02-03
CHILDREN AND PARENTS.
A Striking Article by a Protestant
Writer.

Writer.
Among the multitude of new con-
ceptions of old duties born during the
past century and making no inconsid-
cradle part of what we call the ad-
vancement of the age, there is one
that has led to some curious changes
in what may be called the head-center
of our progress-the home. This is
the change in the attitude of parents
and children.
A hundred years ago such antiQuat-
ed maxims as Children should be
seen and not heard" and Spare the
rod and spoil the child" were not only
in vogue, but We're of practical appli-
cation in the family discipline. Nowa-
days the children are both seen and
heard-the latter right noisily, and all
the rods are broken.
In old times children were supposed
to owe debt of gratitude to their
parents, not only for all that was done
for them during their years of help-
lessness, but for their existence as
well. The whole scheme of filial duty
was based on the idea that the chill
dren were under a considerable obli-
cation to their parents-an obligation
to be discharged by obedience and af-
fection. Today the child in effect
says, Il was not asked if 1 should like
to come. You brought me into the
world, and it is your business to look
after me and make things pleasant
for me. All you can do for me is not
too much"
The Old-fa shioned parent believed
he did his duty by his offspring if he
gave them food and shelter and a
chance to get an education commen-
surate with his position in life. II
they wanted more they were welcome
to get it by their own exertions This
is not saying he made no sacrifices
for their sakes, for we all know that
the measure of love is what we are
willing to do for another, but at least
he did not, as a rule. "give himself
to be melted over for their greater
comfort and convenience. He was not
bad old fellow, this old-fashioned
father-if he did have rather rigid
ideas of his children's duty to their
parents. His heart was warm, and
he knew that young trees root the
faster for shaking" He realized that
struggle and endeavor HAD been good
for him, and he was willing his chill
dren should experience some of the
same healthful discipline. He said
in effect, "Endeavor made a man OF
me; it will not hurt my sons to dc
things because they have been told
to do them, or to labor to gain what
they DESIRE"
The modern parent says: "Oh,
don't want my children to have such
hard time as I've had" And ht
life into their mouths with such rapid,
ity that they can scarcely swallow
them fast enough. And when the
plum tree is exhausted, we have boy:
and girls with no appetite for any,
thing but plums, and no knowledge O.
doing anything but consume them.
The whole modern theory and phil
osophy of education seems based OF
the Froebelian saying, Come, let III
sponsible for a vast deal of unneces
sary and positively harmful fussing
by which anxious parents create al
occupation for themselves. If tn,
harm were only to the parents i
might be cndurable. but the result o
the fussing is to imbue children will
a terribly exaggerated sense Of thei
own Importance Think of stopping t.
argue with child over a question o
obedience, of feeling it necessary t,
explain why you require him to obey
or permitting him to feel that obedi
ence is not necessary unless the rea
sons convince him!
All through life the child is goinl
to be subject to laws-the laws o
school, of state, or morals, of society
He must experience the penalties
he violates them. Now, there ism
any better place for him to learn til
habit of obedience to authority thai
at home, under the parents tuition
And to learn that habit in youth no
only makes for a happy and contente
home, but for his own personal happi
ness in later years.
The whole effort Of parents an
teachers at present, it appears, la t.
give as much as possible to chli Ice.
and require Of them the least possibl
return in personal exertion, rcgardl"s
of the great and undying truth lha
the fruits of personal exertion are tn
only ones that ever ripen into charac
ter and real education. There is
great deal of inevitable drudgery !:
learning and in life that no one ca
possibly assume to the profit Of an
other. We may make the burde
} ours, but our doing so is the ver
antithesis of helping, in any real sens
those who are to be strengthened b
carrying it.