The Washington times., 1929-02-05
Some Excellent t
Advice For
Parents
BY Constance Cameron

It seems to me that IL the
calamity howlers who spend so
much time in Mortified discussion
Of what the younger generation is
coming to, would use an hour or
so to figure out what they could
do to make the homes compete
with a parked car on a lonely
road. the problem would be half
solved.
Adolescence is the time of social
interest. 1t is a time of yearn-
ing to do the smart thing the
thing that everyone else is doing"
the everyone else being those
of similar ages. 1t is a time
when to be alone for an evening
with no phone calls, no invita-.
tions out is a tragedy. Perhaps
to you or me an evening when
we could be assured Of perfect
peace and a freedom from social
obligations would be a taste of
heaven unaudulterated, but to the
young man or young woman in
the high school it would be a
dire calamity.
Perhaps this thing we call in
deep horror, ''petting," has ex-
ceeded the bounds we respected
as youngsters. Then again per.
haps it has not. TO be interested
In those of the opposite sex is
most natural to young people.
still believe in spite of all the
printed evidence to the contrary
that boys and girls are idealists,
that the first kiss. shyly be-
slowed, is still, at the moment,
given in the absolute conviction
that the one lasting love has
arrived in all its, sanctity and
glory. Whether the boys and
girls caress promiscuously, is
feel. largely a matter of this
way in which love, and the subse,
quent founding of homes has
been presented to them. A boy
or girl from wholesome home,
atmosphere isn't going to make
love a cheap thing to be banded
about and dragged in filth. He
may experiment, explore a bit,
but who hasn't? 1t is almost inI-
possible to recognize at once
whether the other fellow is our
true life-mate. When we are
very young each new "crush" lis,
We are. certain. the real thing.
And after all. youth is uncon.
sciously and everlastingly busy
in this quest for a mate, whether
youth recognizes the fact or not.
So much for a perfectly nat.
ural development in interest
toward the opposite sex, and
the perfectly natural desire to
touch with affection the per.
sons we love-or think we love
ct the moment.
If, on the other hand, you
have reason to suspect that your
young man or woman is promis-
cuously ''petting' by that
mean indulging in a counter
felt of the natural physical rela-
tionship--it is time for a straight.
from-the-shoulder talk. Not
talk of stopping because ''it isn't
NICE or ''you ought to be
ashamed of yourself" but from
the point of view of results.
IL you do not know how this
type of recreation 1eopardizes hap.
pfness in married life, send your
youngster to your physician and
let him explain 1t.
Aside from the debatable ques-
tfon Of how far a youngster can
safely or decently go in this
process Of ''pettings why not
make home so attractive that
there will be less temptation to
get into situations where it is
possible?
The home, where Mother is
ready and willing to have the
living room rug rolled up tonight
or any night and encourage the.
young people to dance to tunes
emanating from the phonograph
or radio, is going to attract a
happy, wholesome crowd-noisy,
laughing, messing up things a
bit. but isn't it worth while?