The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-02-12
1870 !oNq,
JDoc7RiNAE, lITOReIcAL.l


their first lessons; it is she who has
to tell them of God and show them
how to join their hands and pray, and,
later on, see that they go to school
and learn their lessons carefully. She
must watch over them necessarily,
see that they do not grow up selfish
and bad-tempered, insist on their be-
ing dutiful and obedient, and not be
slow in reproving them when neces-
sary. She must, moreover, see that
they are clean; she must teach them
to be careful of their clothes. A
mothers duties towards her children
are exacting, but, they spring from
love; and it is every mothers
bounden duty so to act that she shall
not have to reproach herself in later
years when young lives are ruined
and souls lost.
The children's duties are simplest
of ALL They are to do what Jesus
did at Nazareth-obey their parents.
They will be taught by them to do
what is right, and if they listen to
their teaching their part will be well
done. They can contribute largely
to home happiness by not being
quarrelsome or surly, and not causing
annoyance to their parents when they
are weary after the days toll. They
should be bright and cheerful, kind
to one another, and readily perform
the little service demanded by their
father or their mother,
If each member of the family does
his best to fulfil such of these duties
as falls to his share, it is easy to see
how, with little effort, unity will
follow. For where everyone is try
ing to do his part and sees those
around him doing the same, there is
little Indictment to quarrelling or
fault-fnding.
Parents should remember that if
they fail to perform their duties care
fully they are almost certain to ruin
their children's lives If the little
ones, from their earliest recollection,
have seen nothing but unpleasantness
and pickering between their father
and mother; if, in their youth, they
have never been shown the sublime
beauty of happy home, they will
| be driven to seek recreation and
amusement out of doors, where they
will fall an easy prey to the evil in
| fluences of bad companions.
Ideal Home Life.
When these essentials are secured
parents must take positive means to
provide for their children's happiness
and consequently for the general hap
piness of their home. 1t is in the
evenings, when all are together, that
home means most, and every effort
should be made to ensure that these
hours are spent happily. The father
who tries to repress utterly the
natural spirits of his little children
who grows impatient at the slightest
sound of merTiment or childish amuse-
ment, is little likely to rear a happy
family, while, on the other hand the
man who loves to see his children
about him, smiling and happy, and
who takes an interest in their little
games, is sowing useful seed that viii
not be easily destroyed; he is implant
ing in the child's mind memories thai
may be his salvation in the tempta
tons of after life. AS the children
grow the parents must let their love
suggest the kind of amusement thai
is best calculated to keep their chill
dren happy about them. Those homes
where all assemble in the evening tC
listen to the reading of some interest
ing book are unfortunately few, anC
many would regard this as very
dull way of spending the evening
Let them, however, give it trial.
Simple freside games, and music
in the families where this is possible
will vary the amusement of many
evenings, and make home-life more
attractive. For different conditions
of life and different tastes various
forms of entertainment will sugges
themselves. AS long as their amuse
ments are innocent and help to keel
the family together and promote low
ing relations between the members
they cannot be too carefully cultivat
ed. Then, when the hour of bed time
approaches, let all unite in their daily
Family Rosary to beg of God bless
ing on their home. God will watch
over those homes where peace an6
happiness reigns, and He will bless
the children and help them to grow
up good men and women, an honour
to their parents and their country.