THE INALIENABLE EIGHTS OF CHILDREN.

Northern Advocate, 21 January 1888, Page 2

THE INALIENABLE EIGHTS OF CHILDREN.

It is a common thing for people to speak of children's obligations to their parents, but a rare thing to speak of parents' obligations to their children^ yet a much stronger obligation rests , upon the parent than the child. Parents are too prone to regard their children as mere adjuncts to themselves without right of independent thought or action,, and often demand from them a sort of fetich-worship. A child should never forget that his mother is his God-given mentor, but a mother should remem.ber also that her children are merely given in her charge by Heaven to be trail led for homes of their own to do their: own work in God's world as she !has done hers. Only so far as she reaches the highest type of womanhood, .a true m< other, and protects her chile bren from foes within and foes witho«ut, will, she be worthy of their honouir and respect. She must make her eh ildren fellowworkers with her, not slaves to obey her commands. Thoro are parents who are mere taskmasfcez'fl, who never rise to the dignity of father and mother, and who consider their cbJ l.---dren ungrateful because they seem eager to leave «the hoD ac-life of dull drudgery for a chance < >f pleasure and beauty in the world ou tside. Children owe no gratitude to pai rents who have made them mere drud.ges and have not been guides to them in their training for life's work. It is necessary that home be made at tractive, bright and lovely. A child's lov9 of beauty should be encouraged, not crushed as mere extravagance. A girl naturally loves dainty surroundings and pretty clothes, and she should have them. This does not mean extravagance, but care. A cotton dress may be prettier than a velvet gown. A girl should have a room of her o'vrn, not a mere sleeping place, but a pretty room where she can rest when her work is done. It is a mother's duty to gratify the innate love of beauty in the growing woman by surroundings as dainty and lovely as she can give her.* Every contrivance by games and music should be resorted to to make evenings at home attractive to boys. They should be encouraged to bring home their friends. A little mud on the carpets is of less consequence than the danger of soil to mind and soul from companionship outside the house. The bovcan. be kept home, it is true, by ;si!eMt command, but like the poor j cageu^bird he will^ break away from such, confinement at the first opportunity, ; and) weak and feeble by his imprisonment, fall an easy victim to temptation. Wejremember a mother who endured considerable personal discomfort from a very bad accordeon in which her boy took delight. "That is a dreadful noise," she said one day, " but Charley enjoys it so much and it keeps him home." It might have been wise to have trained the boy to appreciate better music, but whatever harmless pleasure it is that lifts a boy above mere every-day life may be a I Heavenly gift to save him from some great temptation. We believe there are very few boys and girls who will not develop a taste for reading if they are encouraged by their parents reading to them. Histories and stories of classic value may be readily found which will interest the boy quite as deeply as the objectionable stories of sensational weekly papers. If the boy is given Hume's " History of England," he will probably agree with the mouse in " Alice in Wonderland," that it is the dryest thing he knows of.

A mother who is faithful to the charge given her retains the confidence of her children. She must find time to listen the the boy's plans of play and work and the girl's confidences. She must keep pace with her children while they are with her, if she is to be a help to them and enter into what may seem their trivial griefs and joys. Birthdays and holidays should never be forgotten. They are bright places in the dull routine of every day life that a child will look back to with pleasure years afterward. We remember a mother who, unhappily, had no settled home. Yet wherever she was in city or country she managed to have a Christmas tree prettily lighted and dressed for her boy and girl. ' ' When they have gone away from me, " she once said, "they will always remember home on Christmas day, and it will be one bright spot to look back to." Selfish woman, shrewd bargainers with destiny, often expect a great earthly reward for bringing up their children faithfully. As if the glory of motherhood were not great enough reward; as if the joy of a mother's love were not the fountain of all joy; as if it were not great enongh honor to be trusted to guide a human soul without worldly recompense.

* This is a matter of the first importance. A bedroom always presents one of the surest indications of training and character, especially in respect to a woman. A girl whose bedroom is a scene of disorder and dirt is utterly unfit for a vrifej