The Problem Of The Modern Child.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19075, 21 May 1930, Page 8

The Problem Of The Modern Child.

A Woman s View.

THE modern parent, who takes his or her high calling seriously, is frequently faced with perplexing problems. Where should a child be allow* ed freedom and how far is it wise to place restrictions; for obviously the standards by which parents were brought up, of, I should say, the rules for guidance laid down in a more Victorian age, do not apply to-day. There are, unfortunately, some parents who either do not recognise the problem# of to-da>', or seeing them, turn very clumsil3* to their solution. This is illustrated 3*et once again in the Hamilton case, when Mr Justice Smith made this comment: “I desire to say that it is a grave, as well as a sad circumstance, that a girl of fifteen >'ears should be allowed by her parents, or guardians, to go unescorted to public dances. . . . It shows the need for adequate home training and supervision.” It is indeed true that character is made in the home, and when girls are denied the guiding hand while they still lack years of discretion, their path is fraught with many dangers. * B.E.S.