Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-13
Mothers and Daughters

midnight oil burned and the expert
ences dear to youth gloated over 10 the
full. The "chum" is a disease every
girl must have. And do not let US
overlook the fact that out or these
foolish over excited relationships often
grow the strongest traits OF cnaracter'
unselflshness, loyalty and love.
1t is very hard-almoSt Impossible,
for the mother to have sympathy with
this new factor in her child's life-her
abnegation to another, apparently as
empty headed, vain and foolish as
herself.
But the mother in her disappoint-
ment can at least keep silent and try
to understand. If she cannot UNDER
stand she can at least suffer In pa
thence, remembering that the acute
symptoms of the disease eventually
wear off and disappear.
She must try to realize that the child
needs an outlet for the new emotions
that ravish her poor ignorant little
heart. This chosen friend is the instru-
ment by which she arrives at an I'M
Outstanding of herself In telling her
experiences and in confiding to another
the happenings of her life-for she feels
sure that her experiences and happen
ings are unique-she gradually sorts
over the new material that comes daily
into her life and out of the chaos
grows to understand, handle and con-
troll them.
Do not let us smile at the friend
ship of younger ifLwe do, let 1t be
q tender smile as we look backward
into the memories of our own youth
when the world, seen through the eyes
of our chum pulsed with unsupported
beauty, and our hearts beat together
with enthusiasm and expectation as
we looked out into the vague POSSIBLE
ties of our future.
1t is a wonderful thing-this youth
that we are ready to laugh at. IN
fortunately the true understanding or
it's beauty is only grasped when 1t has
vanished behind us into the vale of
dreams. =
The attitude of the mother toward
her daughter at this juncture of their
lives should be tolerant and sympa-
thetic. She should know no rest till
she conquers within herself the tempta-
ton to be over-critical and quick to
judge. She may expect to endure much
and must meet her trials with patience
for the stronger the child the more
difficult to tread will be the pathway
of her development.
Although she must avoid interior
ence, every growing child needs over
sight, and this the mother must surely
give, for it is impossible TO expect good
results without it.
There must be rules set for the
childs daily life. She must be kept
strictly at her studies, and her even
ings of pleasure and going out must
be regulated. The mother must make
it point to know her friends and
know also where she visits. By taking
real interest in her pursuits she will
find it often possible to draw her out
and give advice in a tactfuT manner.
The more retired the life a young
girl lives the better, for during the
formative years nothing Is more help
full than the quiet of a regular life and
the influence of good home.
The battle of life begins soon enough.
Preparation for it is not made on the
streets or in places of public amuse-
ment. The child will meet the respon-
| sibility of womanhood best who is the
product of a careful home training and
whose life has developed at the side of
a good mother.
A mother who has infiuenced-not
dominated her; who has led, not driven
her; who has allowed her to be her
self and find her own star in peace;
who has been in example constantly
before her eyes as the type of woman
she wishes to become-who has lifted
her up from babyhood and shaped in
her a noble soul.