Evening star., 1938-12-14
Ways ofCh
Effect
Later Life
Future Happiness
May Depend on
Training Now
BY ANGELO PATRI,

''Why do you bother so much
about Billy's waiting on you? You
could do for yourself all he does
with less trouble and wasted time,
Why do you give yourself all that
bother? I wouldn't care whether
he handed me a chair, or helped
himself first, or opened a door for
his grandmother. He's a boy and
he will learn in time. Save yourself
all the bother"
'Ill keep on bothering, thank
you. I'd like to think that the
boy reared would be good hus-
band and father. That he would
know how to be helpful, thought
full, understanding and kind to
those depending upon him. A
good husband and father makes a.
family happy, and that's about the
best any man can do in my esti-
nation
You're looking long way ahead"
mot so far. He's 8 now. In 13
years, maybe sooner, he will be a
young man, starting out for him.
self. I have only few years, per-
haps the next seven or eight. to
teach him what he needs to know
about his job as head of house. or
as the man of the house, married
or no."
you're right, but I'm only think
ing OF the trouble it gives you"
And I'm thinking of the trouble
I may save him and his wife and
children. His father got that train
ing from his mother, and in sheer
gratitude I'd pass it on even If
didn't know that it would mean a
great deal to the boy himself.
I'm able to find chair for my
self, able to get myself a wrap or
glass of water. am able to do the
housework without the boys help,
but he needs the understanding
that his helping me and his father
and his sister, gives him. And the
same for her. want them to grow
up. knowing how to be worth while
family person. If they are part
of that kind of family they learn.
The earlier the better. They initiate
what they see us do, so it isn't so
hard to teach them as it might
seem. Son does what he has seen
father do countless times as mat
ter of course. "A little reminding
and a little encouragement and.
thanks do the rest"
Mothers have fine opportunity
to train their children to make
good husbands and wives. The
heaviest share of the responsibility
falls on the mother because she is
the most authoritative person in
the immediate family group where
the children are concerned, she is
the leader. If she teaches them
to help her and their father. and
to be considerate of each other.
they will learn. If father and
mother are good examples as heads
of the household. the children will
initiate them and in their turn be-
come good husbands and wives,
good parents.
1t is from fathers and mothers
that children get their ideas about
marriage and about family life in
general. If father is person apart,
forever, demanding and never CIV
ing service, miserly of affection,
ignoring companionship fault-find-
ing and generally disagreeable, the
children will not come to believe
much in his fatherly feeling.
The same idea holds for mother.
If she is the sort that keeps the
home together, loving and serving
and leading to better ways. the
children accept her as symbol of
all Motherhood Just as they would
accept father as the symbol of fine
fatherhood, if he made good In that
relationship. Some fathers do. and
when they do you can be fairly
certain that their mothers took
pains to teach them what they
practice.