Evening star., 1942-11-06
Patriotic Duty
Of Children
To Assist
Helping With Work
Frees Parents for
Essential Jobs
Bv Leftice Lee Street,

We all want to be honest with
our children, and we also want to
give them small responsibilities
gradually 70 that they will not sag
under the real load they will have
to carry when they are grown. The
inevitable time will come when they
will divorce themselves from us and
their homes; we want them to be
ready and self-reliant.
Right now mothers may help
make their children conscious OF re-
sponsibility by letting them UNDER
stand that they are citizens OF this
country who can do real service
in wartime.
In home whose father has joined
the armed service, or left for an
other city to labor in war indus
tries, or who is seldom at home,
even over week ends, because OF his
long working hours, much OF the
burden of the house formerly as
sumed by him is now dumped
heavily upon his wife's shoulders.
There it is, another load, but the
mother does not complain, she IS
a soldier on the home, front. She
does not show her worry before her
children but she should not protect
them from reality. Youngsters as
old as 7, 8, 9, 10 and up can be
real help-and it is very good for
them to do their share and to re-
ceive appreciation for their efforts.
To evade the war in the home is
weak, it is not being honest, not
being patriotic and will make chill
dren soft. 1t will also deprive them
of the glorious feeling of being
worth while to their country in times
when every man, woman and child
can do his share.
But children have to be led and
inspired, and every little boy and
girl can be told exactly what he or
she can do. 1t is easy to fire
childs enthusiasm-and patriotism
is inflammatory!
Here are some of the things boys
and girls may do to nelp uncle
Sam: A clever mother can make
it clear that their work is not for
her alone, it is to help daddy at
war, it is to help their wonderful
country.
Boys who envy the fighting men
will turn eagerly to tasks if told that
they are doing mems work, and that
by working they free man to fight.
or to take his important place IN
war factories.
A boy can cut the grass for his
mother and for the neighbors, he
can tend the furnace, rake leaves,
sweep the sidewalk, carry out trash
and ashes, bring in wood. go to the
store for packages and thus save
tires and gasoline, take care OF his
clothes because wool is needed for
overcoats for fighting men, wear his
rubbers, not because he is sissy"
but because this will save leather
which wears out more quickly when
it is wet.
Girls should learn to do house
work in times of war or peace, I
believe. No matter what ones finan-
cial status, domestic helpers are
going to be more and more scarce
because millions of women will be
called to war work
We have all read in the news
papers the splendid job that boys
and girls ali over the country are
doing in collecting scrap metal
keep it up! Children who buy War
savings stamps with part of their
allowances should feel very proud.
Boys and girls The jobs mother
asks you to do at home are not just
dull duties. they are patriotic need
in times when every citizen has to
help II we are to win the war. Uncle
Sam calls on you, and you and YOUl