A MOTHER’S PROBLEM.

Cromwell Argus, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3484, 30 August 1937, Page 7

A MOTHER’S PROBLEM.

MISS FIFTEEN. How is she to be managed so that she will get through the difficult years ahead of her as smoothly as possible? Practically the whole of her future depends on the next year or two. Is she going to become a .little rebel Avith unbalanced ideas and crude tastes? Or is she going to be one of those colorless little mice with no initiative? Or will ahe manage to avoid both these pitfalls and, with the sympathetic help of her mother, develop Into a woman ■with a definite yet pleasant personality? It is important to realise that she needs a certain amount of encouragement and a minimum of fault-finding and criticism. Nothing is so destructive of joy in life and happy relations between mother and daughter as constant friction.

Next comes the all-important question of dress. As Miss Ffteen has to wear a school uniform during the term, she Is inclined to burst out into extravagance, and even absurdity, in the holidays. It is a good plan to give her a small sum of money to spend on dress, and let her be responsible for the inexpensive items. Do not worry if she spends her money unwisely at first. She will soon learn Its value when she has the spending of it. On the other hand, if she mismanages her finance, do not be too ready to help her out, for it Is only in this way that she will learn that freedom and responsibility go hand in hand. Encourage her to bring her friends home. Do not be alarmed if one or two of them are not the girls you would have chosen yourself. Praise those you admire, but do not criticise the others. It is inevitable that there should be experiments in friendship. Many undesirable friendships are kept alive by opposition at home, for this makes a girl show an exaggerated loyalty to the criticised friend. Miss Fifteen will also wish to keep her letters to herself. This is not indicative of a secretive disposition, but girls at this age are sensitive, and fear that their confidences may be laughed at by grown-ups. If a rfiotner respects this wish her daughter will appreciate it. and it will be surprising if she does not sometimes share her news.

And then, of course, there is always the vexed question of how late she should stay up at night. This invariably causes a heated argument. "I'm not a baby now!” she flares, when mother mildly suggests that it is bedtime. Here, again, a tactful mother will use wisdom. Have a quiet talk with her, urge the necessity of sleep so that her brain and vitality (and pretty looks, too) are unimpaired for her studies tne next day. Let her make as many decisions as possible for herself. She ought to be able to accept or refuse a friend’s invitation, or make any reasonable engagement for herself in her free time. This does away with that hemmed-ln feeling which seizes girls at this age, and an alert mother knows how to keep her eyes open.