Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-18
DOROTHY DIX TALKS
BY DOROTHY DIX
The Ideal Mother
Copyright, 1920, by the Wheeler Syndi
cate, Inc.
A MOTHERS CLUB asks me If will
II give it my definition Of an ideal
- u mother.


II give it my definition Of an ideal
u mother.
WE'LL if I were baby and could choose
my mother, would pick out strong and
healthy mother. l would want mother
who would start me out in life with ro-
bust body, with steady nerves and with
clean blood, free of any faint of disease, for
should choose to be born of mother who
had exercised as much thought and judg-
ment and care in selecting my father as she
would in buying new hat.
I should want strong and healthy moth
er also, because I should want to be raised
in a quiet, peaceful home, and l couldn't
hope for that if my mother was peevish
invalid with raw nerves, that every little
noise irritated to distraction, and who was
fretful, and fault-finding, and complaining
because she was half sick all the time.
And I should choose mother who wanted
me, and who did not regard children as one
of the major Affections of life. I should
want mother who was more interested In
me than she was in clubs, and who thought
it more fun to play with me than she did to
play bridge. should pray that would
get mother who wouldn't turn me over to
nursemaids and servants to bring up by
hand, but who would give me her own per-
sonal attention.
I should choose woman who was very
tender and understanding, for mother.
should want a mother who knew that
who would not try to force my confidence,
or pry into my little secrets, but she would
know just what meant, and just why ] did
things when Numbered out my confession
to her In the twilight, or when she tucked
me in bed at night.
I should want her to be the kind Of
woman who knows things by the grace Of
God, without being told, and that no mat
ter how much I stumbled and fell, she would
know why, and believe in me to the last.
And I should want my mothers breast
to be very soft for me to cry out my childish
heart upon, when was little and hurt my
self, and her arms to be refuge to me, to
which l could alw-ys turn when was big
and the world buffeted and beat me.
l should want my mother to be good
natured woman. one who always laughed
with you, and not at you. I should like to
be reared in home that was bright and
gay, where people made merry over mis-
adventures, and turned deprivations and
sacrifices into jokes
l should like to have mother who en-
couraged every form of innocent enjoyment,
and who could enter into the spirit of things
the sort of mother who is never too busy
to put up lunch for a boy who is going
fishing, or to add new frill to a girls
dancing frock. I should like to come into
a cheerful home, where the mothers smile
made sunshine, no matter what cloud OF
adversely darkened the balance OF the world
should like to have mother with
funnybone, and from whom I inherited a
funnybone myself FOR she would teach me
not to take myself too seriously. or to grow
morbid, and sour, and grumpy and disgrun-
tled There are so many things in life over
which one must either laugh OF cry, and il
is only those who can laugh whom Fate can
never down.
l should want a mother who was intelli-
gent, mother who read and who kept up
with the times, and who was always fasci-
natlng and interesting companion. I should
want mother who would teach me to read,
and guide my footsteps down the flowery
path Of literature, and, if could have frost
ing on my cake, l should wish my mother to
be a musician, so that in the evenings there
would not only be group around the drop
light but also around the piano.
I'd hate to belong to one of those families
where the home is so dull that nobody stays
in it minute more than they can help, and
where everybody has to go to the movies or
the theater, or cabaret to spend pleasant
evening.
l should wish to be the child of an ambi-
tlous mother I should wish for mother
one OF those women who set some high
goal before their children's eyes, and who
make them feel that they had better die than
not reach it. l should like mother who
was like spear in my side, urging me on
and on to something better and higher. some
Worthwhile achievement.
I should pray the gods to save me from
being the child Of one of the mothers who
are content to have their children clods, if
only they remain near them, >who will balk
girls ambition so that she may stay at
home and nurse them, or block the boys
career because they cannot bear to have him
go away from home
L should want mother who had some
thing of the Spartan in her. A mother who
had the courage to see my faults and cor
rect them, mother who had the strength
to hold me to my duty when faltered in it.
and who did not shrink from making me do
the hard thing when 1t was the right thing.
l would want mother who would teach me
In my youth habits of industry and thrift,
who would inculcate in me the gospel of
efficiency, for thus would she insure my sue
cess and prosperity in the world.
l should wish to have a mother who loved
me, not blindly, but with seeing eyes:
mother who would perceive my deficiencies
and help me strengthen the weak places:
mother who would help me fight my tenn
per II were possessed of such devil who =
would teach me diplomacy if were tactless.
who would inspire me to effort If I were a
sh1rker, and shame me into sticking IL were
gutter.
body, strong Of heart, strong Of brain, strong
OF spirit. These are the qualities that I
should ask In my mother If I were a baby
TO whom the gods gave the privilege of pick
ing out my ideal mother.
every evening, and did not return until one
or two O'Clock in the morning The young
man was considered model employee and