Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-15
II M Woman'S Work in The W0rld1
There Are New Thrills for
Mothers of Girls
Old Prejudices Against Girl Babies Are Taking
Flight as Women Take More Prominent Place
in the Affairs of the World,

rusty, longlocked door OF opportu
nifty.
It's a wonderful age for girl
baby to be born into. Just think
ST the heritage awaiting that tiny,
warmA rosy creature in your lap.
Consider the privilege you've had
in introducing her to society that
is making itself over to fit her as
fast as it can. Life ought to be a
glorious, triumphant adventure for
her from start to finish, Don't you
see there's nothing to regret in
her not being a boy? Aren't you
cen thoroughly glad she's girl?
When she's older you can teach
her what thrilling thing it is to
be girl in her age of the world.
You can make her understand what
IT is that a woman's treasure box
has really come to hold.
And what does it hold? Why, life
first, of course. Girls are allowed
to grow up instead of being left
naked on rock to die.
Then the chance to learn. This
idea of sending girls to school is
a very modern thing. And the
choice of work. The time has al
most come when a woman can fol-
low any occupation she pleases.
Then, self-reSpecting status in
love and marriage, which is very
modern, too, And hnally--citizen-
ship.
You can tell that amazed little
daughter of yours how things have
changed stffce your own childhood.
even though you're only a scant
short generation older than she.
And you can make her long to be
a worthwhile woman, now that she
finds she has Such precious treas
ure box 10 dip into.
And you can set her dreaming
as to what the world will be like
when it has plunged ahead for an
other rs years, and the touch OF
wnmen's hands can clearly be seen
in the actual shaping of the condi-
tons We'll all be living under.
Only Girl" But -
Perhaps you have not realized all
this before. Perhaps you hadn't
come to see what responsibility
you have on your hands, even
though the baby is "only a girl"
For you'll have to fit her to lead
her life intelligently. in the world
that is and the world that is to be.
1t isn't as if she were destined for
that sheltered and protected ex-
istenee we've all heard SO much
about-wficn simply meant that
she remained all her life under
some mans personal control-hrst
her fathers and then her hus
bands, for your baby will grow up
to be just as free as her brother.
And don't ever make the mis-
take of thinking that those things
the doctor tells you about, fresh
air and sleep and food and cloth
ing. aren't important. It's your at
fair to Sc that the little creature
grows up healthy and strong, and
you'll find that to do this is
pretty steady and exacting job, and
you'll need all the wise help you
can get.
For in the world that's coming
the half-well woman, the woman
whose mother didn't wisely guard
her infancy, isn't going to be able
to get her share or to give her
share. 1t won't do for that baby
Of yours to have nerves" or a bad
digestion. When you think that
she's some day probably going to be
mother and homemaker and an
active citizen and the follower of
some useful occupation outside her
home you'll see that she needs all
the health you can start her out
with.
Do take it seriously, this being
the mother of "a girl baby. Do re-
gard it as the most deliciously real
and exercising responsibility you
1 4