Evening star., 1937-06-02
Every
Child His
G. h a n c e
Don't Sacrifice One
Member of the
Family.
from Wide World. N. !
BY ANGELO PATRI.

A LICE, take your little brother
along. Aren't you ashamed to
have him cry like that? OF course,
you can take him
I'D like to 60 some place without
him tagging along I haven't seen
Crissy for a week now. and We want
to have little fun together. I can't
see why he can't stay at home and
play with his things"
You're selfish. The little fellow
looks forward to your coming home all
afternoon, and when you get here you
won't play with him. You're his big
sister and you must look after him.
Poor little thing. Crying foreysa, and
you so hard-hearted rs that. You
can't be so selfish
I'VE can't talk with him around
III have to watch him every minute
Let him stay home and Ill take him
out tomorrow, when I'm home all day
Tomorrow want you to take him
to the dentist. Tm-"
ITO the dentist? Why he kicks anc
cries and makes such fuss I can,
take him to the dentist"
'He behaves better for you than fol
anybody else. I'm going over to see
Aunt Hattie haven't been out for q
long time. 1t won't hurt you to lool
after your little brother and give me 8
few hours rest"
"All right. Come along, Rickie."
That is not fair. No child ought
to be made a family sacrifice. 1t /.
all very we'll to teach the children tc
share with each other, to cooperate
in the work and with the plans of the
family, but it is not right to make
one child give up everything under the
pressure of family duty.
There seems to be one such sacri-
fice in every family of any size. One
son or one daughter Is expected tc
tend the sick. supply any and al,
vacancies in time Of need. If there
is not money enough to go round this
one shoulders the responsibilities and
the others take all they can get OF
education, pleasure and comfort. In
the end this son or daughter stays
at home to care for the old folk and
the others say, 20, father and mother
always look to him Cor herr. They
couldn't get along with any Of the
rest of u.s."
BY and by some one wonders why
1t was that John. or Mary did not
marry and make a home for them
selves. and the rest of the family say
"He (or she) never thought Of marry
in. Just stayed at home with the
folks"
Maybe they did not know that John
or Mary wanted to 60 to college, too
wanted good clothes. wanted friends
and a home and family. but gave
them up because Of family duty SO
clearly put before them by their
brothers and sisters and their parents
Perhaps John and Mary shed rebel
Ious tears in secret, hid their griefs
and longing so that these Others
might go their way rejoicing in the
fullness Of their lives.
In any case it is not fair. All the
children should share the family re-
sponsibility. AS each advances he
should do more for the others, so that
soon there will be partnership, go
ing concern, not one-man, one -wom-
an scheme. And when father and
mother need the help of their grown
children all Of them should tax them
selves for their support, not just the
one who stayed close to hand and car
ried the burden most of the time.
Don't set the stage for that sort
Of thing. Give every child his chance
Mr.. Patri has prepared leaflet
entitled Lying" in which he tells
parents the causes of this habit and
how to help children to overcome it.
Send for it. addressing your request
to Mr.. Angelo Patri, Child Psychology
Department of this paper. 1nclose a
self addressed, stamped (3-cent) en-
velope.
CCopyrisht. 1871