Evening star., 1929-12-05
Your Baby and Mine

Copyright, 1927

We have great sympathy for the
woman who assumes the role of STEP
mother and a heartache for the child
who has to live with one. Mothers
may have lapses of patience, but
mothers are affectionate, while a STEP
mother tries to do her duty without
that blessed lubricant.
One stepmotl1er wrestling with the
problem of a stepson who stole and lied,
kept wanting sympathy because she
had such a problem to handle. She
wanted to know, l"How can like
boy like that?" without seeming to
realize that her lack of affection, her
complete blindness to the tremendous
influence a mothers love and under
standing have in helping a child to re-
form and advance, was one of the
foremost causes of his inability to i'm
prove. Where no such understanding
exists. the case is hopeless from both
standpoints, the child's and the step
mothers.
Another stepmother writes, "Ny little
3-year-old stepson is hard to make
mind. He seems backward because he
forgets things Of value like his prayers
and the days Of the week which
teach him, though he talks lot and
| should he sleep in the morning and
should he have q nap? The relatives
interfere and say q nap is too much
sleep, but I couldn't stand him around
| all day. He has gotten on my nerves
so that can hardly hold myself to-
| gether.'
Doesn't that tell a lot? Would any
mother think a child was backward
because at 3 years he couldn't remem-
| ber the days of the week or prayers?
| Keep on helping him nightly with his
| q S1la
ant practice and not test of nemoryl
And nowhere can you find child Of
this age who knows tomorrow from
yesterday or this afternoon from this
| morning, much less the days of the
week. And Of what value would 1t
be If he did? When he goes to school
1t will be time enough for him to learn
such things.
The helpful attitude for any child
toward obedience is not a Soldier-like
swapping TO obey when the command
Is given, but realization that the
parent is his friend, that he Is pro-
tected from mishap by obeying neces-
sary commands and that this habit il
one which he will have to continue
through life. For parents are, after
all, just the first contingent of COM
manders to which all of US bow ir
order to peacefully live in world ruled
by law and order
But the first lesson the child learn.
Is that we love him, that we want tt
make him happy and secure and teaci
him how to live with us and with
others. Without love the child nigh
as well be In prison, surrounded as III
is with orders, commands, discipline
all things that come hard to small soul
just learning the way. A mothe
never expects perfection from littl
ones. She Just expects that each da,
the task of teaching will be easier. Tn
stepmother, however hard she tries h
do her duty, sees it only a disagree
able duty. for rearing children is hart
work, and without love it is a tragedy
For just a self-addresSed, stampe'
envelope you may have our leaflet
What to DO When Baby Says
Won't" as a help over this crucial 8
year period, and also leaflet outlintn
some books on the vital subject o
obedience and discipline. As for tn
nap, If the baby takes to 1t kindly, le
him have it. That is, providing h
e goes to bed by Q every night md sleep
LuntN 8 In the morning. ,.. T.