The broad ax., 1915-11-27
Cblldren's
place In
Cbe Dome

1t is a vexed question in many fami-
lies as to whether the children should
help in the home. Should they be
called upon to contribute at all to the
general comfort? Should they, in short,
take all and give nothing In the way Of
service? In the old days girls were al
ways supposed to busy themselves to a
certain extent with the affairs Of the
home. They were taught by their
mothers or other female relatives to
take pride in housewifery.
The boys, on the other hand, were
concerned with outside things. They
did contribute to the comfort of the
home. They provided the larder with
the necessary food, they protected the
home and indeed did all that there was
to be done outside the walls, being in
turn waited on by the women indoors.
But we have changed all that. In
very many homes nowadays we find
that neither boys nor girls ever lift a
finger to do a share Of the work that
has to be done by some one. The ex-
cuse is that they are at school; then
they have their home work to do or
they must go out.
There are many excuses, but In few
cases would it be impossible for the
children to do at least a small share Of
the work. Many people will exclaim
here, "Oh, but what need can there be
for the children to help in the home
where there are good servants kept?"
OF course in poor homes, where there
is no maid or only one maid, 1t is diff
ferent.
But it is not question of poverty or
wealth, this of helping in the home.
The essential fact that we have to re-
member is that children, both boys and
girls, are the better for sharing in that
work which makes for the common
veal. This is something that we are
only too apt to overlook. Working, not
for oneself, but that all may benefit,
has an elevating influence.
If boys and girls are trained to do a
little in order that others may benefit
they will have started their life's work
with the right perspective. Unfortu-
nately too many Of us are concerned
from our cradles with what will bene-
fit ourselves, and ourselves only. We
forget that our actions are bound to
react on others.
We are all familiar with the bored
child. This fact should serve to show
us that there is something wrong with
the way that our children are being
brought up. Why is the child dull?
Why is he bored? The answer is, "Be-
cause he has not had any work to do"
If there has been the allotted task to
perform the time for recreation is val
ued.
"An work and no play" Is familiar
saying which we might occasionally
invert, for it would explain the reason
for the school holidays being times of |
trial to the parents and servants in so |
many homes.
Where there are pets kept these pro- |
vide a certain amount of work for |
their owners, but many parents take
even this labor off the children's Shout |
ders. 1t is one thing to see that the an
imals are properly tended, but it is
quite another matter to take the entire
of them off those who
have elected to keep them. In doing
this we are harming our children and
making them reckless and unreliable.
In training them only to make work
and never to do it in the home we are
denying them one of the finest lessons
Of life. Helping in the home engenders
q love for home and thought for others
lessons which, learned in youth, will
never be forgotten through the longest
life.