BEING A FATHER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20842, 8 April 1931, Page 15

BEING A FATHER.

It's not all fun being a father, says a wri'vr in a London journv. !a many homes father earns the money, comes home in the evening when the children arc about to go to bed, and finds that ho has to read a lecture on manners, or perhaps say a few sharp wprds about a school report. Rather hard on father—he never seems to have any of the nico things to do with his children. Although ho earns tho money, it is from mother's hands that all important things come, and it is not easy for children to mako fino distinctions.

And if father is compelled to do the grumbling that is beyond mother's power, it is rather hard on him—he often has to grumble abgut somo crime for which ho must tako mother's word.

It isn't easy for fathers always to establish friendly relationships with their children, but ono way in which they could do it is this. Never bo pontifical! Many fathers seem to think it is up to them to bo dignified and authoritative. I have listened to fathers giving tho most absurdly evasive answers to children's questions rather than admit frankly that they don't know. How much better if father would say, "Well, you've given me a poser this time, son, but let's look it up." Instead many fathers try to invent answers to the children's conundrums, and the children almost always see through tho deception.

A child is just as much the father's responsibility as tho mother's. I saw a father reading a paper lately, and ho passed it over to tho mother with a romark, "Hero's something about adenoids that you ought to read." lie didn't read it himself; ho thought the infant's adenoids were exclusively tho mother's business. But why ? Why shouldn't fatlior know as much about tho children as mother? Why shouldn't Tommy run io father as much as to mother when ho cracks his kneo or burns his finger ? Why shouldn't Alico run to father as much as to mother when she falls in love and wants to tell somo ono? It is very pleasant to bo run to by young people! They'll do it to you if you always try to sharo their lives right from babyhood.