Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-03-09
Nagging Parents
O. Peril to
Children
ny ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.
Copyright. 1sls Star Company.

Copyright. lslh star company
Young man in Greater New York
possessed of brains. heart and the power
Of expression urges the need OF editorials
and articles which. as he expresses st,
may save Just one little troubled soul
from jumping into fathomless abyss out
of which It can never climb unscathed."
The article which he wants written is
tvo-fold In its purpose, a warning TO
parents and warning to children; to
parents against continually nagging their
children about trivial matters until the
nome becomes a dreaded place OF pun
ishment instead of a haven Of rest and
peace; warning to children against
cushing away from home and into the
dangers OF the great outside world.
The young man says:
Il have the best father and mother
God made; but, though under thirty. l
know a score OF cases Il could truly
say more than a hundred where children
have been driven to the verge Of des-
peration by parents who have forgotten
they we're once young and who utterly
fail to comprehend their offspring"
Just at the present moment the young
man is endeavoring to dissuade a good
girl from cutting loose from all home ties
because she is made so miserable by the
fault-finding and fretfulness which pre-
vail In her home.
Many times in this column has the
thoushtlessness the lack Of consideration,
\. 4
ents been discussed. The high art of
parenthood is the least studied OF oil the
professions open to men and women.
oMthers live under the same roof with
their daughters from the cradle to the
maturity OF the children and yet know
less of their hearts than they know Of
4the mental moods OF Hagsr OF the wilder
ness or Rachael mourning for her children
Nhecause they were not.
The American fathers and mothers are
drpll beings One would think them very
Tnusing were IT not that the farct they
rplay so often ends in a tragedy.
A young woman revealed to the writer
of this article once upon a time that she
had become addicted to the use of slim
ulants. "I think mamma suspects that
have the habit" she said. but she has
never spoken of II to me. and have
never had tho courage to tell her about
It or to ask her help to overcome II. She
is always scolding me for every little
thing I do. and I know she would have
no sympathy for such a big fault as
this"
The daughter resembled her father
who had died from alcoholism and yet
this blind mother had not the sense to
protect her daughter. The Laws OF mo-
ture are constantly proving that daugh-
ters more frequently resemble theii
fathers than do the sons.
One would think that a man who ha6
passed through the whirlwinds Of pas
sionate youth might consider the sacred
duty TO carefully guide and tenderly pro
tect his children over the dangerous reef
OF life by giving them well-chosen asso
ciates.
and talking freely and intimately viii
them on these subjects.
But not one father in one thousand !,
found who follows this course Of conduct
Fathers and mothers so quickly forge
their own youth. It Is incredible tina
the sweetest and most romantic part o.
our life and at the Same time the mos
dangerous. should fade from memory 81
wholly, as Il seems 30 do with the major
ity of parents.
II is incomprehensfble how little logical
sensible thought parents give to home
making. Parents will work and slave ant
Neny themselves the necessities OF hf
in order to give their children an educa
ton and clothe them we'll. yet they vii
make home uncomfortable by fault-finh
ing, complaining and nagging and shown
an absolute lack Of sympathy and under
standing for the tendencies and wea.i
nesses of youth.
Are you a good parent?