The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-03-27
(By Mrs. Bertha Emelin)

(By Mrs. Bertha Emelln)
From about the age of 8, and ex-
tending indefinitely through child
hood years, there is no more valuable
aid for the mother who desires to
promote the Well-being of her chill
dren than walks and talks. 1t is usu-
ally most difficult for the homekeep-
ing mother to find sufficient leisure
or rather, uninterrupted leisure to
concentrate on work or play with her
children. We are all only too famll-
lar with the Interruptions OF the
butcher, the baker, the telephone, the
friendly neighbor, which break in re-
peatedly until one "gives up in de-
spair. But when you leave your home
and it's distractions behind you, you
begin to realize you have found a day
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 substitute,
for the suggestions below. the city
parks, the river or 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
dav. morning or afternoon; and after
months trial you will begin to rea-
lie 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 thous-
and and one trifles that continually
| intrude themselves upon your atten-
| ton while you remain within four
walls, and they will be equally up
| lifting in taking the little ones away
especially is this true in small towns
from the petty small-talk that eman-
ates 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 Lets go to the pond
today!'-or This is a great day for
the woods" A playmate or two taken
along occasionally (and frequently If
YOU have but one child) will lend ad-
ditional zest to the walks and will en-
large your opportunities of getting
better acquainted, not only with the
playmates, but with your own chill
dreu in relation to their playmateS.
In the case of very young children,
places very near home will serve as
well as the more distant goals which
are usually more attractive to the 9TH
er children. The pond or the stream
| h-i1 the Waterfront,
the beach, or the rocky boulders that
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 OF
three miles, makes a splendid objec-
tive point with older children, and
a trolley ride will bring you back
should time or fatigue make it neces-
isary.
Try to forget all your grown-uE
dignity on these walks Especially ii
it be a country road) and have as
much fun and laughter as the chill
shoes and "roughing" clothes. Some
dren are ready for. Wear only stout
times permit the children to take
skates, or a bicycle, or a velocipede
a wagon or jauntins cart, or a sled
a hoop, or horse reins. All these viii
provide additional attractions wher
the children seem 1oath to leave theil
street play.
These walks will develop your chill
dren physically fully as much as any
systematic exercises, and the variety
of stunts" that will be initiated along
the road will astound you. In some Of
them you may join; others will teach
you to have control of your nerves
while the children develop strength
and independence thereby. So far a.
the physical activities are concerned
yon need suggest very little; the chill
dren will initiate as much as there ar,
/ time and eaazU for. There Will b,