WHO HELPS FATHER?

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 307, 28 December 1929, Page 1 (Supplement)

WHO HELPS FATHER?

THE NEGLECTED PARENT, i PROPOSED - BOOK OF ADVICE.:

(By CALA MISTRA.)

One of my neighbours has just been blest with the arrival of a son. Such a fuss of visitors and such an array of cot, baby's clothes, perambulator»and presents. Father goes to his daily toil bewildered and returns in the evening, laden withi all the toys and things that maternal love considers necessary for the fortunate little fellow. I am getting out a book about babies; for the benefit: of young fathers. The* Plunket Society helps mother and baby, and there is a host of grandmothers and aunts, who can assist with advice and practical aid. But who helps father ? My book will be a bright treatise. There will be hints on baby's firs't tooth, baby's first word, baby's first steps and so on. Later on experience teaches, "A man never wakes his second child up to see him smile." Don'ts for dads n Chapter 11. . willl show the best way to get a full night's sleep. We cannot all be night watchmen, ambassadors of commerce, sea captains or on the, staff of the morning daily, paper. Lots, I believe, think that babies like .soothing songs. This is the < advice of mothers who persuade father to lull them to sleep while baby cries.. The baby prefers a good march tune, with plenty of swing, and father's thoughts in the small hours of the morning when on parade harmonise' better with "The Cameron Men," "Larboard Watch," or the "Bandolero," than with lullaby* nonsense. A chapter will be devoted to the methods found most effective in dealing with such subjects as the disposal of half chewed cruste; and sticky embraces, toy selections, effect on babies of paint, paper , and beads. A careful stjidy will be required to master the suggestions about other people's children. By such things as bonnets, hats, baby's teeth and strength of tug on the hair or nose, one can learn the' sex and age of the other fellows' queer little kiddies. Other People's Children,, It is not necessary to ask questions about -other people's children. One has only to be patient under the chronicle of the little wretches' latest sayings and doings as poured fourth by doting parents of ordinary children, and one will hear all that is necessary to know

shown how to choke off the other fellow so >that he will jbe j able to listen to the highly coloured feats of one's own little marvels. U * There will be part of the book devoted to the way of feeding the baby with a spoon, while he grubs with both hands in the plate of soup,, the correct method of holding the baby when going to bed or in a shop containing a display of fruits, sweets or toys, and how to wheel him in his pram or push chair. Words as used by . babies and mothers will be explained in a glossary, but no man can hope that this will be a complete guide to the baby's wants and demands. The difference between boys and girls is noticeable/ from, the start. Boys, of course, are not so hard to deal with. In the first place they are quieter, better behaved, and not so ; persistent. When confronted with a puzzle about one's boy, a man has only to dig back fpr a quarter of a centul-y of accumulated knowledge .to get a clue for his son's thoughts or actions, but girls are a hopeless study. The lather seeing his 12 months old daughter chuckling over a new dress or displaying her form before visitors or in front of the mirror, little realises at first what these actions indicate. A series of daughters with a consequent range fn their ages, drives these indications home. My book will help the father to guard against the every day attacks of combined mother and daughter. A flank movement, the usual form at aitack has as yet got no defence. . • Some Universal Experiences. .■ It is little use reading up books on« psychology, education or wellknown works like "The Bad Boy's Diary," "Helen's Babies," or "Self Help." Th'ey do not tell you why the baby drinks his bath water, or whether he is yelling in pain or just because he is annoyed, or why as he grows older he loses his booties just before it is time to start for the tram., I deal with all these subjects and explain the proper treatment for the tired feeling that comes over children just before school time, the writer's cramp that affects them when • home-work has to be done, the'problem of the never-ending chapter in the book they are reading when called upon to do some little task. If space perpiits I will get an architect friend of /mine to prepare plans of a house where doors will not slam on little fingers, where the vacuum cleaner will collect and sort out playthings after the day's work, and where crusts, .torn papers and such like will bo removed 'for disposal. It may be possible to have furniture that will slide out of baby's busy reach when he is about. I shall not attempt in this book to deal with such intricate subjects as twins. That will be a sort of post graduate course or extra master's ticket examination, subject, and is better left out of this book, which aims to help the father of a fapiUj;fe fellW'fei k