A WORD TO MOTHERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 307, 21 September 1908, Page 3

A WORD TO MOTHERS.

(Contributed.) ' It is generally acknowledged that girls in America - are: brought •up to en joj' ■an extraordinary amount of amusement of all kinds, add that as they grow older they are allowed a degree of freedom which is • unknown in other countries. - However'severely this mode of training" may be criticised, and no doubt" it/has' man^/drawbacks; yet in one point at • 'least •• it .is > worthy .'of l imitation. • _ That is, tho simple, unaffected'relation which exists' between . young'people of both sexes. •An American-:girl, accustomed from' childhood; to'associate with boys, regards her men friends as * companions '• and equals, and ', is consequently - free -from' that .embarrassing self-consciousness■ from ..which English .girls'. 8o • often .sufiFer.' : ' '; Moreover, her character, is greatly, strengthened; by such friendships, and, what is of considerable importance ..to her in i after'.life, she learns-to understand and': to'sympathise ; with a man's 'point of view. '.

Amongst/English people, although most' i girlsv'are; allowed: a ifair freedom of intercourse and'companionship with men', the reflation between them is-entirely Afferent, because thd : mothers,'while willingly sanctioning the companionships-of young people, are continually.on the!alert; too obviously in . -fact..';;- Should a man' show the at-: 1. tention 'to her daughter, or should the girl : show any -.prcferenceffor a -man, even in speaking : of; him, - the- mother, immediately ' detects the. fact and awaits' with, absorbing eagerness developments'; which probably fail to appear,; so .entirely a matter of motherly imagination has the whole affair been. Natu'r- - ally,' the . young people 'soon' become aware of. this attitude of mind," and "are : certainly' apt to resent it. v v ■>."■'■: - The frank-simplicity, which is such,a charm in a young girl, disappears, and. is replaced •' by a gainful in- the; presence, of ! meni or oven in speaking/of' them. Especially is this so with her mother, whoso conscious expression when men's names . are ■ =mtioned makes frank discussion impossible. V. is,--of course, greatly -to be. Regretted, 1 could easily be avoided if women would

Jw a little more common sense in. dealing ith their children. The fault is.of ten quite mintentional; and due simply ! 't6' i; thoughtlessness, as' ; those who most readily admit that young people - should xmix ; together as much "as.'possible,.'are'yet often the least, capable of realising' hbw their: attitude towards/these young people destroys the sinipio, unaffected . relations w-hich they know ought to'exist.' It is noticeable that fathers seldom or never offend in this respect. Presumably they, are-less interested in the possibility of, their daughters . marrying.' Let all. mothers who wish to "preserve in their girls' the' -charmiiig unsclfconsciousness and 'Simplicity of youth pause and consider how best, they can imitate the Wise example of American mothers in these matters.