Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-27
Car Offers
Holiday for
The Parent
Days Off Should Give
Relief in Household
From Irritations.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

FATHERS and mothers need holi-
days-days of, when they should
rot even see their children. How
often these holidays should be taken
do not know. 1t would depend en-
t,rely upon the sort Of people the FAM
lily we're. Some children try soma
parents to the breaking point weekly
end their parents ought to have re-
lief weekly. Other children are not
so trying and other parents are not
so tried. but all fathers and mothers
need time out.
Many mothers think It is impos-
sible for them to leave home even for
en- hour, much less a week end, or
fortnight. but often they are mis-
taken There is usually some way to
care for the children. Some beloved
aunt or granny. will enjoy doing so
or course, things will not be just the
same. The cereal may be cooked too
nay slip In a grain of sugar against
the rules and regulations. but that
really will not matter The children
will slip easily into the old way the
minute their mother returns.
Susie insisted on sitting on fathers
knee while eating her evening meaI
and sometimes it was anything but a
restful experience for father, who was
bit tired at night. Once in while
was one thing, but every night was
too many. If father said. NO" Susie
refused to eat her supper. While
father and mother were on vacation
Susie ate her evening meal sitting in
/ her chair at the table with no men,
ton Of fathers knee. The night he
got back she scrambled of her chair
and up to her place quite as If there
had been no interruption. But when
father said, mo. rot any more. You
sit in your place like the rest Of US.
there was very little resistance,
I think 1t is good to accustom chill
dren to look after themselves a bit.
and to get along with other people. in
other ways than their usual habit.
Children who never get their own
supper. never wash their own dishes.
never tie their own shoes or buy their
own toothpaste grow up helpless. No
body likes to have such helpless peo-
Pile about and everybody becomes skill
| full in Kidding himself of their pres
ence. The self-helpful child will have
more friends, and better ones, than
the mother-tied helpless one.
This means training and. of course,
work for father and mother. 1t Is far
easier to get the Sunday evening sup
per than to teach the children to get
it. But the time is put to good use.
Before long they can get and serve
the meal without help. and you know
that should the occasion arise they
can do for themselves nicely. There
are emergencies in every family and
the children ought to be prepared a
little so they can carry on as usual in
time of need.
Then once in a while take the car
without the children. Once In a
while let father and mother leave
nome for q few days vacation with
out thought of what will happen tn
the children. There Is always q way
to provide for them II one plans to do
so. All It needs is thought in the be-
ginning, while the children are still
babies and easily trained to trust peo-
pie to care for them In the absence OF
their parents. Parental health Is
precious and must be safeguaroed.
Time of Is essential to personal 1T
ness and family peace.
(copyright. 1881