The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1918-02-28
(By Mrs. Bertha Emelin.D

(By Mrs. Bertha Emeln.)
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 well-being Of her children
than walks and talks. 1t is usually |
most difficult for the housekeeping |
mother to find sufficient leisure-or
rather, uninterrupted leisure-to con-
centrate on work or play with her
children. We are all only too familiar
with the interruptions of the butcher,
the baker. the telephone the friendly
neighbor, which break in repeatedly
until one "givcs up" in despair. But
| when you leave your home and its
| distractions behind you, you begin to
realize that you have found way in
which you can say with Froebel,
"Come, let us live with our children"
| These walks and talks can be use!
full 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 of lake front,
visits to the large factories, museums
and historic points Of interest. You
can make the walks as long or as
short as your leisure permits; you can
plan them for every day or every
other day, morning or afternoon; and
after a months trial you will begin
to realize their value for yourself as
much as for the children. The blue
sky and the great outdoors will take
you away from the pettiness of the
thousand and one trifles that contin-
attention while you remain within
four walls, and they will be equally
uplifting in taking the little ones
away-especially is this true in small
towns-from the petty small-talk that
: emanates from the porches and the
: front stoops and passes along the
| sidewalks from house to house and
from child to child.
1t is we'll for you to decide upon
your destination before you call the
children with "Let's go to the pond
, today!"-or "This is great day for
5 the woods!" A playmate or two tax
: en- along occasionally (and frequently
:. if you have but one child will lend
S addition zest to the walks and will en-,
enlarge your opportunities of getting
better acquainted, not only with the
playmates, but with your own children
in relation to their playmates.
In the case of very young children
places very near home will serve a<
we'll as the more distant goals which
are usually more attractive to tn,
stream under the bridge, or the water
front, the beach, or the rocky bould
ers that can be scaled, or the woods
seek them out in your vicinity. Tr!
every road and see where it leads to
The adjoining town, if it be within
two or three miles, makes a splendit
objective point with older children
and trolley ride will bring you bacI
should time or fatigue make it neces
sary.
Try to forget all your grown-u
dignity on these walks Especially
it be country road) and have a
much fun and laughter as the chill
dren are ready for. Wear only stou
shoes and "roughing" clothes. Some
time permit the children to tax
skates, or q bicycle, or velocipede,
wagon or jaunting cart, or sled,
hoop, or horse reins All these wi
provide additional attractions whe
the children seem loath to leave the
street play.
These walks will delop your chi
dren physically fully as much as an
systematic exercises, and the variet
Of Stunts" that will be initiate
along the road will astound you.
some of them you may join; othe
will teach you to have control
YOUR nerves, while the children d
velop strength and Independent
thereby. SO far as the physical a
tivities are concerned, you need SUI
gest very little; the children will I'M
late as much as there are time al
energy for There will be walkir
forward and backward, sometim
with eyes shut, sometimes on sto
walls and in bitches there will be ru
ming, skipping, hopping, jumping fro
different heights, whistling and sin
ing, games of "folow MASTER" racir