East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-03-05


From about the age Of 3, and eX-
tending Indefinitely through child
hood years, there is no more valuable
aid for the mother who desires to pro-
mote the weA-being Of her children
than walks ana talks. 1t is usually
most difficult for the housekeeping
mother to find sufficient leisrlre-or
rather, unlnthrrupted leisure-to con-
centrate on work or play with her
children. We are all only too familiar
with the Interruptions of the butcher.
the banker. the telephone the friend
1y neishbor. which break in repeated
ly until one gives up" in despair
But when You leave your home and
its distractions behind you. you be-
gin to realize that you have found a
way in which you can say With Froe-
ble, Come, let us live with our chill
dren."
These walks and talks can be use
ful both to the city mother and the
country mother, though it will be
easily seen that the country mother
has the advantage in this respect.
The city mother will have to substi-
tute, for the suggestions below. the
city parks, the river or lake front,
visits to the large factories, museums
and historical points of interest. You
can make the walks as long or short
as your leisure permits; you can plan
them for every day or every other
day, morning or afternoon: and after
a months trIll you will begin to re-
alize their value for yourself as much
as for the children Tho blue sky and
the great outdoors will take YOU away
from the pettiness of the thousand
and one trifles that continually intrudt
themselves upon your attention while
you remain within four walls. ana
they will he equally uplifting in tax,
ing the little ones away=espccial
Is this true in small towns-rrdn The
petty small-talk that eliminates from,
the pofchcs and the front stoops and
passes along the sidewalks from house
to house and from child to child
1t is well for you to decide ur1r
your destination before you call the
CHILDREN with"Let's go to the pond
today. or This is a great day for
the woods \ playmate or two taxi
en- along occasionally Gnd frequent
ly if you have but ore childJ viii
lend additional zcst to the walks and
your opportunities Of get
ting better acquainted. nut only with
the playmatcs but with your own chill F..
dren in relation 10 their pliymatcs.
In the case Of very young children.
places very near home VIII serve as
wen as the more distant goals which
are usually more attractive to the
other children. The pond or tho
stream IEndcr the bridge. or thr water
.ront. the beach. or the rocky buuId-
FRS that can bee scaled. or the woods
saek them out in your vicinity. TRY
very road ana see where il leads Ia.
fhe adjoining town, if 4 bc within
Wo, or three niles makes splendid
objective point with older children.
md troiiy ride will bring you back
hould time or fatigue make Is neces-
airy.
Try to forget all your grown-up
lsnity on these walks especially il (
I be in a country road and have as
much fun ana l@ighter as the chill
ren are ready for. Wear only stout
hoes and 'roughing' clothes. some
ines permit The children To taEe
Rates, or a bicycle, or a velocipedc. a
'ason or jaunting cart or "a sled. ,
oop. or horse reins. All these will =
roVIde additional attraction when r
le children seem loath to leave their h
rect play 4
These walks viii develop your chill h
rem physically fully as much as any 4
'stematic exelc cises. and the variety
stunts" that VIII be Initiated along
he road will astound you. Iu some
them you may join: others will
ach you to have control Of your
srves, while the children develop
renFth and Independence thereby.
.F ths tts .u. asft.I.t,. a.g.