Evening star., 1949-06-17
LITTER TO MRS. FAEGRE.
fFro~s Mrs. 8. NJ. M


fFrors Mrs. s. n, NJ
Your column In Tfse Esensng
star was q nsoss welcome change
from the usual infograasaon found
In that column re eroefrttng knit
ting. African vsoaets. etc ! my
self And care and cultivation q
children vastly uogr inteFestgng
and rewar6ing and much greater
challenge intellectually.
Since you want tntormRsaoa
about how parents handle the
problem Of nsakIng ihs1r children
self-relaant future e4tsl~ns cs
America. ! should like to tel yea
what we are ooang rs q family
Ny husband and I are both EN-
ployed-l because oi . partial
disability tina; makes II tmpcs-
sihle for me 90 do an adequate
housekeeping Job. and Il seems
more worthwhile to spend my
extra time adding 10 the family
income than playing bridge and
going to daytime movies, Ny
three children are all In school
from nine until three O'Clock.
Each Of the older children takes
turns at being in charge between
the hours Of three and Ave- fifteen
twa,en I arrive home from work
and during this time he or she
performs his specified piece Of
housework. Bob on Monday
cleans the bathroom and on Wed
nesday scrubs and WAKES the
kitchen fioor. Helen on Tuesday
dust and cleans the hedfooiais
and on Thursday dusts and cleans
the rooms downstairs, except for
the kitchen. This Is the part Of
the housework I am unable 10 do.
Bob is IL and Helen Is IL, and
both have been helping. with IN
creasing responsibility. for the
past several years. Mary is only
6. but she keeps her own clothing
In order. makes her bed. and sets
the table for breakfast and dinner.
The children prepare their own
luncheon at noon. as we live near
the school. and ! like them to
have a hot luncheon at least in
cold weather. They check. with
me by telephone at noon. and. for
that matter, at any time when a
problem arises requiring adult
arbitration. We have found that
our system works pretty well. and
the children get a real kick out
of earning their own spending
money and knowing just how
much effort Is required TO ACQUIRE
the money needed for their pleas
ures.
Don't think that the children
have no fun. Each of them Is
free two afternoons a week and
IN alternate Fridays, when the
one In charge performs one OF
another Of the special Jobs like
moving the lawn. Strengthening
up the play room, etc. accordins
to who Is In charge. On Saturday
they have the privilege OF COINS
to the movie II they want, and
usually on Sunday We do some
thing special as family. An early
evening drive Just after dinner Is
one OF our favorite amusements,
and We take turns choosing the
direction in which We 90.
I shouldn't like to give the i'm
preston that my children wear
halos. There are frequent prob
lens to be discussed and settled.
and Just as many childish
sasaahhIes as occur in every family.
We try TO iron things out as well
as possible. and we do make an
effort to let each one express his
views on the situation in question.
think that We are unusually
close as q family. and every one
has a share In running our mutual
affairs. ! have one more COM
ment to make. In answer TO your
query about why so few letters are
received IN this vein. believe
that 1t is because parents have SO
widely divergent views about how
children should be reared. and
most OF us don't want to be told
by other people how We should
live. And ! have made the OBJ
servation on my own that this Ia
probably a perfectly sound situa-
ton. since my children are prob
ably suited by nature TO the typs
of upbringing / give them. where
as they might not thrive at al
under the system used by my
favorite friend. whose personality
and ideas are quite at variance
with my own.
I should like to give due credit
to my husband for his devisins
this set up. It would not work out
50 smoothly without the co-opera-
ton and authority Of the head oi
the mouse.
SAFFRON.
from Mrs. A. M. M, Rockville
A word about saffron. 1t should
be stepped like strong tea. using
about q heaping teaspoon Of SAT-
from 10 one cup OF boiling water.
Cover and let cool. Substitute
the whole thing ssaifron and
liquid for milk in your favorite
sweet roll recipe. but do add q
little extra shortening and some
white raisins. II your recipe calls
for two cups Of milk. use the cup
OF saffron tea and one cup Of
milk. The richer rolls are the
better.
. @ 9 N