Evening star., 1936-10-03

And Duty
Of Father
Should Become Better
Acquainted With
Family.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

FATHER and his responsibilities
should be brought more prom
inently before the children. Because
he is away all day and their contacts
with him are limited accordingly. the
children do not see him as clearly as
they need in order to understand and
help him as they more often under
stand and help their mother.
They ought to be taught that father
pays whenever they waste money. do
poor work, spoil material or bits CT
equipment. get into trouble or catch
some illness through their carelessness.
or otherwise. Whatever goes wrong
in the family ultimately touches
father, and he has to pay the bill in
money, worry, health and happiness.
1t is to him that mother must tell the
story Of the children's misfortunes and
misbehavior.
Father himself should try to make
himself better known to the family
by cultivating closer acquaint-
ance with them. He could, If he
would, take little time of an evening
to listen to what the children would
like to tell him. BY being a good
listener. dropping a word Of advice
now and then, he would get a little
closer to them and they to him.
Children make mistakes because
they do not know the truth about con-
ditions. Nobody ever told them.
Father believed in keeping his busi-
ness to himself. He would never con-
sent to tell the children how much
money there was to spend, nor now
it was spent. but gave them a little
now and then as his spirit moved. This
attitude alone accounts for plenty of
children's mistakes. II they knew
there was no money they would not
spend recklessly and leave the bills
for father. They do wrong because
they do not understand the condi-
tions. Fsther should have been close
enough to them to be able to keep
them informed and sympa thetic.
How will your father feel If he
hears that you are failing in school?
Surely for his sake you want to sue
ceed. Think how bad he will feel. He
wants to be proud Of you, and he can't
be proud of boy who does not do his
best. You could get passing marks if
you wanted to-"
My father doesn't know I go to
school, even. He never saw o report
from school in all his life. ! could
leave him tomorrow and the only one
who would know it would be mother.
My father doesn't care"
Father did care, but he had left the
boy to mother, and mother, although
she is almost omniscient, cannot oe
father to q growing boy. That is
fathers peculiar duty and privilege.
Unless, however, he lets the boy know
that he Is interested in him, unless he
shares something of his thoughts, his
interests, his responsibilities with his
boy, he remains a stranger, resented
presence in the house.
It might be well for father to speak
for himself in the family. Growing
along with the children insures q
close relationship. Father wont have
to pay for childish mistakes, extrava-
gances, thoughtless behavior If he
allows his children to know how he
carries such responsibilities for them,
how they help him when they prove
themselves thoughtful and responsible
children in home and In school
Father pays, but the kind Of paying
and its effect on father and the family
are largely in his own keeping.
tCopyr!ght, 1850