Evening star., 1942-04-10
Do Not Leave
Young Baby
All Alone
Only an Unfeeling
Adult Can Take
Such a Risk
By Leffice Lee Street,

By Leffice Lee Street,
Dear Mrs. Streett-Some time
back you made a statement that it
is not right for q mother to leave
her baby or children in the house
alone. don't agree with you.
Maybe you don't realize that every
body hasn't the money to hire help
to take care OF their children and
that everybody isn't a born nurse
maid who enjoys sticking around the
house all day to mind the baby. II
I didn't 60 out and leave my baby
sometimes I would 60 crazy. I'm
pretty and young and I have lots Of
friends and I'm entitled to the
normal life I'm used to.
MY baby is 3 months old and she
sleeps most of the day. I leave her
in her crib and 60 to market or to
see friends or to the movies and she
is always fine when get home. 1
think I'm right and that you are
wrong! Mrs. y. n.
Yours is the privilege to disagree
with the thoughts and theories OF
any one on earth, and yours Is the
choice, too, of using reason and
practical common sense or OF butting
your head angrily against the wall
of reality. But yours is not tne
right to dispute proven facts.
If you haven't a mothers apprecl-
alton and tenderness towards her
infants needs, if you can go away
and leave your tiny baby to suffer
from lack of attention, to say
nothing of the grave risk you run IN
leaving a helpless mite alone and
unguarded in the event Of such a
catastrophe as fire, then you miss
the splendid, protecting love OF
motherhood.
You whine, I'm entitled to the
normal life I'm used to-" but you
ignore two facts. The first, what
any one feels he is entitled to" Is
not always what he deserves or earns
or is lucky enough to win. You are
still a little girl wrapped in dreams
of being a fairy princess who need
only wave her wand to attain her
hearts desire and her favorite
amusements.
Second, you overlook your great
good fortune, q happiness that many
women suffer deep heartache be-
cause they cannot share the same,
which is, you have a husband, a
home and a baby! You are leading
a normal life right this minute.
Being married and having babies Is
the most average, normal career a
girl can have. You are making your
normal life abnormal by your dis
torted thoughts, by your mental.
childish tantrums as you rebel
against your lucky lot.
Grow up for your sake. your hus-
bands and your baby's. If you don't
you won't be fit to live with and at
so you will be a silly, simpering
creature who wears teen-age dresses,
pretending to be a girl instead OF
taking pride in being an experienced
poised and dignif1ed woman.
No one denies that bringing up
children is hard work and that it
means sacrifice. OF course it is con-
fining, but it is a full-time job that
has to be done well.
I suggest that you take your baby
girl with you in her carriage when
you go to market, and take her
visiting with you in the daytime.
Naturally you and your husband
need occasional entertainment at
night, so why don't you keep a
"helper bank? Stay away from
the movies for two or three nights
and you will have saved enough
money to pay a woman to come for
a couple of hours and sit with your
little girl. Feed the bank with odd
pennies and give up q few things
you want 50 that you can have your
fun and take care Of your infant,
too.