The Washington herald., 1920-12-17
THE IDEAL MOTHER.

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A-Mothers' Club asks me IL I viii
give it my definition OF an ideal
mother
Well, IL ! were a baby and could
choose my mother, l would pick out
strong and healthy mother. !
would want a mother who would
start me opt in life with a robust
body. with steady nerves, and with
clean blood. free from any taint OF
disease, for l should choose to be
born of a mother who had exercised
as much thought and judgment and
care in selecting my father. as she
would in buying a new hat.
/ should want a strong and
healthy mother. also. because
want to be raised in a quiet. and
peaceful home. and / couldn't hope
for that IL my mother was a peev-
ish Invalid, with raw nerves. that
every little noise irritated TO dis
traction, and who was fretful, and
faultfinding, and complaining be-
cause she was han-sick all the time.
And ! should choose a mother who
| wanted me, and who did not regard
children as one of the major sfflic-
tions Of life. / should want a moth
er who was more interested In me
than she was in clubs. and VINO
thought il more ftn TO play with
me than she did to play bridge.
should pray that I would get q
mother who wouldn't turn me over
to nurscmaids and servants to brinc
up by hand, but who would tivs
me her own personal attention.
/ should choose a woman who wa.
very tender and understanding. 10
a mother. ] should want a mother
who knew that a child's soul is tn,
shyest thing on earth. and whs
would not try to force my confidenc,
or pry into my little secrets. bu
she would know just what j meant
and just why i did things when
blundered out my confession to he
in the twilight. or when she tucke,
me in bed at night.
] should want her to be the kim
of woman who knows things by tn
grace, of God. without being told
and that no matter how much
stumbled and fell, she would know
why. and believe in me to the las,
And ] should want my mother.
breast to be very soft for me L
cry out my childish heart upon
when / was little and hurt myself
and her arms to be a refuge to me. L
which | could always turn when
was big and the world buffeted an
beat me.
/ should want my mother to be
good natured woman. one who al
ways laughed with you. and not a
you l should like to be reared IL
a home that was bright and ga,
where people made merry over mis-
adventures, and turned deprivation
and sacrifices into Jokes.
] should like to have a mothe
who encouraged every form Of in
nocent enjoyment. and who couI,
enter into the spirit of things, tn,
J sort of a mother who is never 10,
busy to put up a lunch for a bo'
who is going fishing. or to add
new frill to girls dancing frock
l should like to come into a cheer
ful home where the mothers smil
made sunshine, no matter wha
cloud Of adversely dsrkened the bal
ance Of the world.
io iihe 70 nave mothe
with a funnybone, and from whor
inherited a funnybone myself Fo
she would teach me not to take my
self too seriously. or to grow NOR
bid, and sour, and grumpy and dis
gruntled. The re are os many thing
in life over which one must eithe
laugh or cry. and IL is only thos
who can laugh whom Fate can neve
down.
. i should want a mother who wa
Intelligent. a mother who read an