SMOTHER LOVE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18043, 31 December 1926, Page 18

SMOTHER LOVE.

A well-known woman was speaking some time ago on the need for the professional woman to apportion her time between her public and her private duties in such a way that her children should not suffer through her absorption in interests outside her home. But she differentiated between motherlove proper and what she designated as "Smother Love’’—the love that wants all for its own and is content to see the children of others suffer. “ Smother love,” besides being callous as to the claims of those outside the home circle, has in its very concentration great potentiality for evil rather than for good. Most of us have known the mother-love that is so bent on cherishing what it imagines to be the well-being of its objects, that it virtually .smothers all initiative and freedom of action on their part. It peers and pries so insistently into everything with which the loved ones are concerned that natural development becomes impossible. It smothers the individuality that is making an effort to assert itself, and produces, as often as not. just a weak reflection instead of the unfettered personality that should eventuate. Real smother-love will endeavour to make a child’s pathway as smooth as possible, but. will be content to watch the progress at a little distance. “ Smother love ” will want to accompany the child all the way, so that when the traveller finally emerges into the great world independent action will be found impossible.