Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-02-01
Child Runs Great Risk in Allowing
Itself Born Into Average Home

infinite and live with you, is to di-
vide up your home with them. Does
not 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 follow
ed.
You will probably ask where the
rules come from. That's very i'm
portant. The parents and children
make them together. The children
who are old enough, that is. Once
in while they have a family coun-
Gil and talk things over and decide
what to do about everything. Some
of the best suggestions come from
the children.
Make Their Own Rules.
When boys and girls make the
household rules themselves, it's not
great hardship to keep them. And
they're simple rules, anyway.
Then, finally, these parents seri-
ously take their children into their
confidence, and / assure you that
this is magical thing to do.
Do you remember how, in your
, own childhood, father and mother
were jealous custodians of all lie
family secrets?-and how you felt
that pretty nearly everything that
was interesting was kept from you,
as matter of course?
Do you remember the blank cur.
tain that your elders used to let fall
over their faces when you entered
the room, and the whispering that
went on behind these curtains, and
they used to spell to each other
aloud?
So that if little sister was com
ing or father had lost his position
and was hard up-these were mat
tiers 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 were
as ignorant as they supposed you
to be?
And you see now, Of course, that
that wasn't the most reasonable way
of conducting home.
OF 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
ticipation. 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 Mar
garet is lonely and you think you
ought to ask her to come 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 isf
Let them know if you are hard up.
If you can either have a servant all
the year, or else go to the country
in the summer, get the children to
help you decide which is most ims
portant.
You see, children have usually
ever so much more understanding
than their parents give them credit
for. So, if they are forced to pre-
tend they are babies while thev are
in the house, it's not surprising il
they turn their intelligence to mis-
chievous ends when they get out
side.
We have all heard parents won
der what they can do to keep their
fast growing boys and girls content-
eddy at home.
Well. make them feel it's their
home as well as yours. If they Re
at liberty TO follow their own pur-
suits freely. without being continual
iy repressed, and to invite their
friends when they like, they viii
only too glad to stay there