Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-03-13
Homes Happy
Where All Help

all work together. Is the best example
Of active cooperation. II is an ex.
ample of family doing worthwhile
things in worthwhile way. The
children go forth from such surround.
ings ready to take their place in u
world where the value of teamwork
is more and more recognized.
1t Is the training, and especially
tho early training, of children that is
most important in bringing out thess
"working-together" qualities SO essen.
tial to success. The first lessons in
helpfulness are to be learned in the
home. Once learned there as they
should be their effect will be lasting,
says n Newark News writer
Parents sometimes complain that
their children are not helpful, tAat
they do not want to do the little
things that are az of them, that ir
occasionally a tas,. to get them to
perform duties which are clearly
theirs to perform. There are, OF
course, special reasons for this un.
happy lack of response on the part Of
certain children. But, as rule, the
unwillingness, IL it may so be spoken
Of results from TO things. The first
is the mistake of the parents in not
seeing that children, as they grow
older, share in a reasonable way in
the responsibilities of the home. The
second is the lack OF opportunity
| given to children themselves to help.
| To share in home duties should be
pleasure and privilege for the
| clild. 1t can be made so If only
| little sensible attention be given to
the matter. A child likes TO do
things which are interesting to him:
things that, at first at least, show i'm.
| mediate results. He likes to give
proof that he may be trusted. and he
| appreciates, quito in the light of
reward, his being trusted to do things
by himself. Ii he does thing well,
he naturally looks for praise, per-
haps for some special form of com.
mcndation.
To give this praise, or it may be, to
make some return TO the child for
duties satisfactory done. are matters
| for the parents discretion. But il is
| to be remembered that praise and re-
wards arc, after all, only accompani
me ats. NO parent should ask child
| to do a thing that it is not right for
the child to do, and for the child 10
do without the expectation of reward
save that reward which comes from
the knowledge Of something well
done.
uelpfulness IN the chiid's ..urt
cLmes from training in ways 10 be
useful. And WI children once get
the idea OF being useful, and see the
help and happiness that they give
ways occur to them. There probably
is nothing that gives "a parent more
genuine pleasure than TO have Il child
give some evidence OF thoughttnlnaSs
in this regard
Not a few parents, out OF i mistaken
consideration for children, give tho
youngsters small, il any, opportunity
to develop in usefulness about the
home. Certainly the wise parcnt
makes no such error. No matter what
tie circumstances of the family. it
is the poorest possible training for
the children for them to be made 10
feel that they are expected to do little
or nothing for themselves or others.
feeling at the same time that all
sorts of things, constantly will he
done for them.
Mothers, particularly, have very
obvious duty to their daughters and
| to themselves in this matter. II is
no kindness to girl not to ground
| her in the preparation Of mea!e. in
| the fashioning of simple articles for
herself. in the care of her room ami
| in such other things as come in The
province of home making and keep
| ing. When this course in helpfulness
is followed the girl gains in self-re-
| lance as well as in ability. She be.
/ comes a real factor in the smooth
and efficient running of the home. A
boy too, can be taught to make him.
self useful in many ways about the
house. The making of little repairs.
the construction, perhaps of some
handy device, the keeping Of the
grounds in order, the doing of er-
Yands-all these things help and they
help in the boys development. TOO.
The interest shown by the father and
the encouragement that he may Llve
| to both boys and girls In the perform
ance of such duties, must be power
tu. aid in the ordering and operation
| of the household machinery.
The happy well-ordered home is
the home in which every member OF
the household has a part to per.uii-i.
Q part defined naturally by the WY
things to be done. but suited. SO far
&C possible. to ability and tastes.