The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1909-06-16
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THE day of an entire family is often
! made or marred by breakfast table
manners. If the atmosphere is disa-
greeable, if even one person starts the
day swapping, every one at the table
is apt to be disgruntled before the
meal is through.
1t should not be any harder to smile
in the morning than at midnight; in
deed, the woman who has lived
through Is hours of strenuous modern
life would seemingly have more ex-
cuse for irritation at the end of 1t
rather than at the start. Yet, strange
ly enough, more people feel cross at
breakfast than at any other time.
There are women to whom getting
out of bed is more Of temper test
than direct insult. They consider
the rising gong a personal enemy
and seem physically incapable of a
smile or pleasant word until they
have been up several hours.
Most families have experienced
this trying trait in at least one men,
Der. What mother has not thumped
and hammered at sons or daugh.
ter's door until exhausted in patience
and strength, just to get him up for a
daily duty? Instead of gratitude, the
mother generally meets with sour
looks If not rudeness for her pains.
If one is such an incorrigible
sleepy head that the morning man.
ners suffer 1t is we'll for her to hunt
the cause. In growing girl or boy
this crossness may be due to not get
ting enough sleep for ones strength.
If so, parents should insist that the
rest be taken at the other end of the
day. Early retiring is much better
for young person than late rising.
There is no worse discipline than to
let children get up when 1t suits them.
Laziness and Indifference are most
often the cause of bad morning man.
ners. Anything goes in the family.
1t is too much trouble to talk agreea-
bly, at breakfast, so John buries him
self in his paper and does not speak
unless to score the coffee or rank
toast, and Mary, with struggling locks
and in sloppy wrapper, either sulks
or nags.
To start the day wrong, with tenn
per ruf11ed or feelings hurt, leaves a
sting that cuts. If one cannot keep
sweet the day through it were better
to choose a less suspicious time for
temper than the breakfast table,
when all should be bright and cheer
full, If only to counterfeit the ten.
| dency to morning crossness which
most of us feel.
The wife who wishes to be remem.
bered pleasantly is as careful of her
morning toilet and her morning man
dinner. If she can't be she had bet
ter have coffee in her room. The
man who does not wish to have his
wife sigh with relief when the door
has closed on him for downtown, will
take pains to be agreeable at the
breakfast table.
Never let children get into the habit
of whining at breakfast or of scolding
because they will be late to school
Belated meals are responsible fol-
much morning misery; 1t is hard tt
keep good tempered If train must
be made on jump or black mark is
feared.
Set the breakfast hour early enough
that mad scrambles and consequent
i'll humor can be avoided. See to II
that every one is down on time
One mother broke up breakfast
table crossness by having fine fol
every one who came to the table
scowling or who sulked or whined OF
scolded during the meal.
If you think that 1t makes little
difference how you act or look al
breakfast, try coming downstairs
singing and happy some rainy day
when the cook is late and the family
dispositions are apt to be warped
Though a free row is going on when
your cheerful face is first seen, things
will quickly calm down under your
smiling presence.