Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-16
OUR CHILDREN
Healthy Children.
By ANGELO PATRI.

We are all concerned about the health
Of the children. and rightly so. Health
is the essential element in living q sue
cessful and. therefore. q happy life. All
possible care, all provision necessary, all
effort, are due the children In this mat
ter of health.
One point many of us overlook. Un-
less the mothers of the children are
safeguarded and protected and helped
so that their health Is as nearly per-
feet as may be. it is difficult for the
children to acquire that health which
Is their birthright. The mothers health
comes first. and the health of the
household is added unto it. A sick
mother, an oyerworked, nervous, weary
mother cannot establish health In her
household. Rather the contrary.
The demands made upon a mother
are so great that no human endurance
could hold out unless stimulated by the
spirit of devotion and selfiessness Of
motherhood. But even that has its
physical basis, and unless the mother
can have rest and spiritual stimulation
she breaks under the strain.
No worker will work the hours that
mother works as a matter Of course.
For her there is no time limit, no
water tight compartments of your work
anu AL WOiA WAtlllIi L4lG ItUuSC~
hold Is hers; nursing, cooking, sewing.
disciplining, training, cleaning, market
ing. making social ends meet. All and
more come in the one days stint. Un-
less some relief is afforded the mother.
health flies out Of the window-for the
household
Some of the situations are In the
mothers hands. BY programming the
day so as TO allow a period of rest, she
hal IN he
can train the children. at least some of
them, TO carry their share of the work
and responsibility. BY becoming an ad-
ministrator as well as worker, she can
save some of her energy. But always
she must have a period of relief daily
and an annual, or, If possible, semi
annual vacation.
There are some mothers who pride
themselves upon their selfishness. IT
never leave my children TO any one
Never since they were born have left
them for longer time than it takes to
do the marketing, and that ] usually do
by telephone" That is not good sense.
The children need 10 learn how to get
along by themselves, to adjust them
selves TO others, and TO lean less and
less on their mothers for help. Mother
ing children overmuch makes for weak
ness OF body and mind. There Is no
health in it. The better way is to mix
administration with mothering.
Allow child to help itself as soon as
1t shows any willingness TO do so. which
is usually in infancy. 1t takes time to
help child to help itself in the begin
ming. but that time is repaid with in
terest later on when the child is Sturdily
self-helpful. Allow child TO carry re-
Sponsibility for certain household mat
tiers as soon as he or she is able to
shoulder 1t. Work. responsibility, a
share in the household life stimulates
intelligence and fosters love for home.
Health is in activity.
Fathers need to look into the house
hold routine to make sure that all that
is possible to do is being done to aid
the mother. Grandmothers and auntS
can help by relieving the mother once
q week. Older children can help by
doing their share OF the work and
shouldering responsibility for them
selves, a. little. The family ought 70
conserve the family by guarding the
health Of the mother.
(Copyright, 1881