Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1912-11-19
YOUR DAUGHTERS FRIENDS

1t would seem, from a study Of
social conditions. that more than half
| the mothers. IN this country pay little
attention to their children's associates
outside Of the home. Perhaps your
plea for this neglect-for it is q
neglect, a neglect of 1uty-is that the
housework and the care of the
younger children will not permit you
to spend your time getting acquainted
with young Ethers friends.
Besides, children do not interest
you, and why should you bother to
know these young people well?
Surely they look and seem like nice
g.r,s and boys-their parents are re-
spectacle people.
Ethel enjoys their company. and
you would not wish to hurt her feel
ings by suggesting that she should
not associate with them. Ethel must
have her fun while she is young.
Five mornings week ten months
in the year Ethel has tor get out of
bed early. dress, have breakfast and
hurry off to school. Perhaps she re-
turns at noon for hasty lunch; per-
haps not; but after school hours She
must practise her music, study her
| lessons for the next day and attend
to some small duties at home.
The evenings are long in winter: as
a rule there are few amusements at
home. and the young boy and girl seek
pleasure at some neighbor's house or
get permission to attend q moving
picture show.
On the way to either place Ethel
meets a boy friend, OF several boys
and girls who suggest a walk or a
visit to some boys or girls home
where they can trough house. un-
restrained,
Very often a dance hall claims the
boys and girls of 15 and older. Surely
1 there has been enough written about
the dangers Of the public dance hall
The boys Ethel knows come to your
home infrequently. They are at the
awkward age, when the thought of
meeting you and Ethers father is
most distasteful to them.
Ethel knows how they feel. and
courts their favor by arranging meet
! ings outside her home-on the corner
or at some girl friends house where
there is less supervision by parents
than at her own home.
You, however, are really relieved by
the thought that you do not have to
meet and help entertain these young
people. You say to yourself: "Oh,
well. if she likes to be at Anna's 8
house. let her go. l suppose they do
have a better time there, where they
do not have to take care not to waken
a baby" And so Ethel is allowed to
go out in the evenings according to
her own sweet will.
She forms the habit. and few are
the evenings spent at home with
] mother and the other children.
! If trouble comes to Ethel. she is tC
| blame. She is reprimanded. upbraid-
chances are she leaves home entirely
to join the army of working girls
or comes to greater harm.
Parents lament her downfall and
feel the disgrace when neighbors and
friends speak in hushed tones OF
poor Ethel"
And Ethei-unless she has a Ions
| line of sturdy, honest ancestors bacl
of her from whom she gets an innate
sense of decency and honesty; ever
then sometimes-sinks to the depths
to the very dregs Of society, and Anal
ly drops into oblivion.
After all. is it not largely the
mothers fault?
II she had made a friend of hei
daughter, of her daughters friends
certainly she would have recognized
the danger her girl was counting. BY
her sympathy and guidance mother
can, in nearly every case, control hel
ohild's friendships.
BY comparison and suggestion sht
can show Ethel or Maude the unde.
sirability OF certain people and thS
worthiness of others. She can helI
them choose their friends if she her
| self is a friend of theirs.
The boys and girls who their besi
! friend-mother-doe not approve viii
soon cease to interest them, and Il
won't be long before more desirable
companions are chosen.
Get next TO your children; gain theil
confidence through love and be theil
1 friend.