Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1918-03-07
BY. Mrs. Bertha Emelin.

Tending lnuellnlIeiy IuIOueA Sih~~
years. there is TO more valuable aid
Tor the mother who desires to promote
the well-being of her children than
walks and talks. 1t is usually most
difficult for the housekeeping moth
er to ind sufficient leisure-or rather,
uninterrupted ieisure-to concentrate
On work or play with her children
We are all too familiar with the inter
ruptions oI lhe butcher, the baker, the
telephone, the friendly neighbor,
which break in repeatedly until one
gives up" In despair. But when you
leave youI nOme and its distractions
v,..A.d you, you begin 10 realize thai
you hav efound a way IN which you
-. sAy w4.n rroebei, Come, let us
ave vain our cmidren."
These HaIAs and talks can be Use
IL. $500 TO s4e ely laotheI and iiie
country mother, though It Will be
easily seen that the country mother
mas the advantage IN this respect.
The city mother viii have to suDsu-
tute, Ior the suggestions below, the
city parhs, the river or lake front,
visits TO the large factories, museums
All historic points of interest lou
can make the walks as long or as
sAor. as YOU leisure permits; you
ian plan them for every day or every
liz d., iaol ming or afternoon; and
after months trial you will begin to
realize their value yourself as much
as for tie children. The blue sky
..4u the great outdoors will take you
away from pettiness Of the thousand
and one trltles that continually in
trude themselves upon your attention
while you remain within four walls,
Ind they viii be equally uplifting in
.aklng the little ones away-especial-
~ Is tins true in small towns-from
the petty small-talk that emanates
.rom the porches and the front
steps and passes along the sidewalks
from house TO house and from child to
1t is well for you to decide upon
your destination before you call the
children with Let's 60 to the pond to-
day!-or This is a great day for the
woods" A playmate or two taken
along occasionally land frequently if
you have but one child) viii lend ad-
ditional zest to the walks and will en-
large your opportunities of getting
better acquainted, not only with the
child.
places very near home will serve as
well as the more distant goals which
are usually more attractive to the
other children The pond or the
stream under the bridge, or the water
front, the beach, or the rocky bould-
ers than can be scaled, or the woods
seek them out in your vicinity. Try
every road and see where it leads to.
The adjoining town, if it be within
two or three miles, make a splendid
objective point with the older children,
and trolley ride will bring you back
should time or fatigue make it neces-
sary.
Try TO forget all your grown-up
dignity on these walks especially if
1t be u country road) and have as
much fun and laughter as the chill
dren are ready for. Wear only stout
shoes and "roughing" clothes. Some
times permit the children to take
skates, or bicycle, or velocipede, a
wagon or jaunting cart, or a sled, q
hoop, or horse reins. All these viii
provide additional attractions wher
the children seem loath to leave thei,
street play.
These walks viii develop your chill.
dren physically fully as much as an,
systematic exercises, and the variet,
OF stunts" that will be initiated alons
the road will astound you. In som,
OF them you may join; others viii
teach you to have control of YOU
nerves, while the children develop
strength and independence thereby
SO for as the physical activities ar,
concerned, You need suggest very lit
tie; the children will initiate as mucl
as there are time and energy for
There will be walking forward ant
backward, sometimes with eyes shut
sometimes on stone walls and il
bitches; there will be running, skip
ping, hopping, jumping from different
heights ,whistling and singing, game.
oil follow MASTER" racing, stone
throwing and stick-throwing ints
ponds and trees, and tree-climbing.
That the walks and talks" ar,
great mental stimulus is readily an
parent, when one reflects for a mo.
mnt upon the opportunities for ask
ing and answering questions that sci
dom arise in the schoolroom; the Oh
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