Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-08-18
Parents and
the Child.
Need Of Obedience
to Those of Authority
Copyright, 1915, by star Company
BY Virginia Terhune Van de Water.

Perhaps 1 am hopelessly oid-fashicned
and behind the times. but I believe in
the implicit obedience OF a child to n
parent
I am aware that were I 20 utter this
statement In the presence OF many mod
ern parents I would be greeted by nu-
merous protests. and perhaps some Sc
we're reproofs. Yet. in spite Of this fact,
still maintain that II a parent does not
know what ls good for a child better than
that child does himself he or she IL not
tit 60 be parent
But surely you would reason a thing
out with the dear little one, wouldn't
your some one asks.
Not until after he had obeyed the
command given him. The Don't do
that, dear!" should be needed first After
that explanation may come
The average American child Il out
rageously spoiled, II one doubts this let
one watch him for Q while.
''rhe doctor says my little girl must
have an alcohol rubbing each morning.
But how am to give II to herr She sim
ply says she won't have II, and that
ends It."
To my way OF thinking, that ought to
begin II. II the mather has not estab-
lished the habit of obedience in an F.
year-old daughter II IL time that she
started 70 do so. TO be sure. she ia eight
years later in beginning than she should
be-
some parents do not realize that AZ n
mere baby is taught that mother knows
best. there need seldom be the threaten
ing and Furnishing process we have dis
cuased so much. IL Is easy &c oh the
baby to understand that Nome means
'No-no" and not Il don't want you 10
do that and reality hone you won't, but
don't know how uElcer the sun to pre-
vent e." Are We 60 allow youngsters
TO be small savages until they have at
tanned so-called years Of discretion and
then expect them to do Just what Is
right
Long ago I heard a story Of the man
with trick dog that. he hoasted, al
ways obeyed his commands To illustrate
this. he called the dog.
Here, Towserl" he ordered, come ana
give me your pawl"
The dog looked at him for q moment
then turned his back upon him and
crawied under a table at the farther
most corner OF the room.
well. said the man. then no under
the table! will be obeyedi'
The obedience Of many children re-
minds me OF this tale
Please. dear" the mother says. AIT
quietly at the table until the rest OF US
have finished-that's a good, little girl,
know you will do that to please
mother"
The 4-year old promptly wrlgRfee from
her chair 10 her feet. II want 70 get
down and play" she insists. vociterously.
There. there. dearl' the mother says.
run on AMI play then"
As the child grows older and wants TO
break rules OF various kinds, are those
who make them going 70 stand quietly
aside and allow her to have her own wayg
II so. alas for her character
We parents owe duties 20 other people.,
too as well as TO our children. No man
Is Justified in imposing upon his friends
a pet--no matter how dear-that Is going
TO be nuisance to everybody with whom
ne comes into contact. Nor has a parent
any right 70 allow his child TO be 90 dis
ooedient, 80 unruly, as 10 make other
people uncomfortable.
In one home there are two small boys
Who In slang parlance, own the place"
They are welcome to H. outsiders de.
clare. There IL no pleasure In visiting
the long-suffering mother. She believes
that is not kind 20 curb youthful
spirits' and her sons run up and down
stairs through halls and drawing rooms.
at their own sweet will. They also in
torrupt her as she chats with some unA
fortunate who. not knowing what Il be-
fore her. may happen to make her frat
call at this home.
4 called there once" a sweet woman
TOLD me. Il may go there again, but 10
VIII not be until those two small rascalS
are old enough 20 have some manners. -
Yet one Is years old and the other 4
years old. II they have not yet learned
to be quiet when older people want "a
! talk. to speak courteousIy to the peraou
/ who greets them courteously-when wiz
they learn?
They are happy. care-free little crea.
lures, that's ALL" the fond mother pleads,
i They can be young but once
Inc same might be said OF the playful
small hyena- But we do not care to have
= him gambol In our drawing rooms or feed
at our tables.
! insist that the child has some In
alienable rights One Of them Is thae
at an early age. while he IL 80 voune
that the lesson Is an easy one. he h.
/ taught obedience TO authority. The other
} is that he be trained to be the best not
the worst. self OF which he is capable
} II is only In learning 10 yield to Others
that one learns TO govern ones SELF.