Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1920-04-24
Takes Parents to Task For Their
Mistakes in Bringing Up
Their Children.
Known the Country Over That To-
day the Youngsters Rule
Their Elders.
What Many VIII Say When tho
Last Day Shall Have
Come.
FALSE EXCUSES ALWAYS HURT.
FALSE EXCUSES ALWAYS HURT.
By Charles Camillus. C.. f. X,
Baltimore, Nd.

NASiAhOlS, fhus
After twenty-three years spent in
the class room, continually observ-
ing the characters, habits, virtues
and vices of children, / have re-
solved upon writing this article. l
therefore ask the fond parents into
whose hands this article may fall to
peruse, consider and put in practice
or avoid, as the case may be, the
following points in regard to rear
ing the young.
do not intend Co say that all
parents are easy, nor that all chill
dren are bad, but the percentage
Of the easy-going parents and the
fractions child is very, very great.
In a few years hence the number
will be easily reckoned at twelve
out of every dozen. It is known the
country over that today the children
rule their parents. Honor thy son
and thy daughter Is the command
ment of today. Oh, easy, soft,
mushy parents! Why have you al
lowed Gods commandment to be
reversed? Or has God recalled his
word? He has recalled nothing, but
will hold you to give a strict ac-
count of the talents committed to
your charge. Two things have
caused this e--4precociousnes
Of children and softness of parents.
These two evils-for we can term
them nothing else-make the child
independent, and it is In this indie
pendence that we find the selfish,
easy-going, self-willed, fractions
child.
l have met many fathers and
mothers who said they could not
control their boys and girls. And
these children, be knewn. were
only six or seven years old. Now it
follows plainly enough If the par
ents can not control these children
then the children control them. 1t
Is evident one or the other has to
be boss. We find many parents
who have no more knowledge of
rearing children than a cat would
have If she tried to teach her kit
tens to perform acrobatic feats on
the trapeze. A hen clucks and her
chicks come scampering. These
tiny creatures obey instantly the
call of their mother. Spoiled chill
dren wilfully disobey and show
stubbornness, because they know
the fond parents will give in to
their disorders. Senseless parentsl
What sort of men and women will
!nhabit our land fifty years hence?
Many children are made idols of
when they are mere tots, then when
they get few years older they will
not take correction or be refused in
anything If weeds are planted in
this young soil. to be sure nothing
but weeds will be reaped. Bend the
twig and train its tender branches,
that you may in later years admire
| it's graceful form. Be positive with
your children If you would have
them be tractable, obedient, honest
and truthful. Never threaten. The
threatening voice is like the croak-
ing frog or the chirping cricket
we pay little attention to their mu-
steal notes after we hear them for
some time. / repeat, be positive
yet kind with your children. Posi-
tiveness and kindness are the two
reins with which you can guide
children to good habits. II you say
yes, mean yes. If you say no, mean
no. 1t does the child a great deal
of harm to change your decision
after once giving it. Let yes be yes,
and no be no.
The rod and the strap have long
since had their funerals, therefore
1t is needless for me even to men,
tion their use. Very, very few par
ents of these times will disturb the
repose of these instruments of cor
| rection in order to repress serious
| faults or to bend the stubborn will
| of their sons and daughters. Thou
shalt honor thy son and thy daugh-
ter. Never think that your chill
dren are the best In the land. There
are others just as good, and there
are still many others great deal
better. Yours may appear TO you
to possess all virtues and other ex'
cellent qualities, but should you see
and hear them when in company
with their companions you might
be tempted to turn your head in
the opposite direction. There is 9
modern saying that children are
"house angels and street devils.
Most likely this hard saying can be
applied to yours, especially to your
boys.
when the last day of the world
will have come numbers of children
will point to their parents and say
'If you had acted as good parents
and given us proper guidance We
would not be in this awful plight
You have caused us to be lost, lost
forever. The lack of example and
Tightening up OF authority will be
Il the means of increasing the popula
tion of hell. For the two reasons
J Just mentioned It is TO be feared
j that many fathers and mothers viii
be the associates with their children
in that land of fire and sulphur
For we find the children such a:
the parents. Look after the spir
4 itual as we'll as the temporal vel