The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-10-24
YOUR CHILDREN MNlpRobeyzsRazzon
I0I93IBY MA SERVICE. INC.

Something, it seems, should be done to bridge the gap between parents and children. For there is a gap without any question, a chasm that deepens and widens as the children approach sixteen or seventeen. It starts out an innocent enough little valley between the two hills of youth and maturity, but suddenly attains rather fright ening proportions in few years time.
 Before father and mother know what is happening, they find themselves alien to the son or the daughter for whom they would lay down their very lives. Hurt and perplexed, they try to figure out why Ruth all in few months seems to find them so unnecessary, or Dick makes it cruelty apparent that almost anything in the world is of more interest to him than they are.
 Forgiveness at Hand
 With their usual eagerness to forgive, they excuse this boy or girl in the way parents do. You cannot expect Ruth, who is young, poppy and up-to-date, with the world just opening up before her, to be thoughtful or affectionate all the time," they try to explain; or, Dick is so busy, in so many things, so intense, it is natural for him to take us for granted-and, after all," they assure each other we're just part of the some scen- cry"
 As I said before, I really think that something should be done about it. Perhaps your son, or your daughter, is not the casual type and appreciates you and loves you deeply, but America has decidedly developed large enough Dick and-Ruth class to attract attention. And it is not to our credit as a na- ton.
 We cannot expect young people to be entirely tolerant of older heads, besides they have not lived long enough or had enough experi- ence to appreciate the sacrifice, or love of the mothers and fathers, but making allowance for all these things, there is still something greatly lacking.
 What is it and what causes it? Is it "spoiling"? I mean by "spoil- | ing" giving children everything on earth so they will love us better. This nearly always works the other way, unless a child is trained in a manner so as to counter-balance 1t. | Is it failure to teach respect when they are very young? For respect and love are close kin and one sel dom is found without the other. Is it too much life outside the house when they are young that weans them away from home fires and home affection? Is it that their parents themselves have been too busy to make their children per- sonal friends, taking it for grant ed that their own love will be re- turned without an effort?
 | Hungry for Affection
 do not know and probably no one else does. But see so many heart hungry parents starving for a little demonstration of affection, a little consideration, that it has made me thoughtful and indignant.
 One man I know went to see his daughter at her new school. He laughed when he told me that she merely shook hands and behaved so aloof and poised that he scarce ly knew her, but I knew his heart was aching. "She told me all the girls made fun of any other girl who went 'ga-ga' when her par ents arrived, so I was properly coached" he explained.
 Perhaps this is one answer it is smart to be away from the apron strings. The purse is more popular. may be cynical to-day but-well, for the third time, something should be done about it.