Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-23

so is their right to express them
selves.
Another thing these parents l am
speaking of try not to do is to seize
the whole house for themselves and
Keep 1t unnaturally orderly and
otherwise impossible to play in, BAN
lshing the children to a few untidy
corners.
These parents see that the only
square way to do. if you have in
vited little people to come out of
the infinite and live with you, is to
divide up your home with them.
Doesn't that seem reasonable? They
give their youngsters just as much
space and sunshine as they have
themselves, and let them do as they
like in it, so long as the club rules
that is, the family rules-are fol-
lowed.
You will probably ask where
these rules come from. That's very
important. The parents and chill
dren make them together. The
children who are old enough, that
is. once in q while they have. a
family council and talk things over,
and decide what to do about every
thlhg. some of the best suggestions
come from the children.
Make Ineif own Rules
When boys and girls make the
household rules themselves, it's not
q great hardship to keep them. And
'iiey re simple rules, anyway.
Ihen, finally, these parents seri-
ousiy take their children into. their
confidence, and l assure you that
TINS Is magical thing to do.
DO you remember how, in your
own childhood, father and mother
We're Jealous custodians of all the
ialnliy secrets?-and how you felt
that pretty nearly everything that
was interesting was kept from you,
as matter of course?
10 you remember the blank cur
talns that your elders used to let
ran over their faces when you en-
tered the room, and the whispering
that went on behind these curtains.
ana the long, tantalizing words that
they used to spell to each other
aloud?
So that if little sister was COM
ing, or father had lost his position
ana was hard up-these were mat
ters that they took any amount of
time and trouble to keep from you,
and that you had to ferret out for
yourself and then act as if you
you to be?
And you see now, of course. that
that wasn't the most reasonable
way OF conducting a home.
or course most children nova
days are told when little brothers
and sisters are on the way. 1t saves
unnecessary mystery; it gives them
the pleasure and excitement of an
tlclpatlon, and it leads them to be
more tender and considerate of
mother than they might be other
wise.
But why not tell them such other
things as they are able to under
stand? If, for instance, Cousin
Margaret is lonely and you think
you ought to ask her to come to
live with you, ask the children to
talk this over and cast their vote.
Let the Children Vote
Then why not tell them frankly
what the family financial status is
Let them know if you are hard up
III you can either have servant all
through the year, or else go to the
country in the Summer, get the
children to help you decide which is
most important.
You see children have usually
SO hiuCh HlOFe understanding
than their parents give them credit
| for. So. If they are forced to pre.
| tend they are babies while they are
in the house. it's not surprising IL
| they sometimes turn their intelli-
! gence to mischievous ends when
! they get outside.
| we have all heard parents won
| der what they can do to keep their
| fast-growing boys and girls con-
| tentedly at home.
! Well, make them feel it's their
home, as well as yours. If they are
at liberty to follow their own pur-
suits freely. without being continu-
! ally repressed, and to invite their
friends when theyslike. they will be
only too glad to stay there.
This doesn't mean giving up the