RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS.

White Ribbon, Volume 28, Issue 326, 18 August 1922, Page 5

RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS.

••(nii responsibility as parents lngins long Injfore <>ur children an* boin. One ~ i he greatest responsibilities We pan nts have to-day is to impress upon our children the fact of their response liilitx to coming frene rat ions. How can hi' do it? Most easily and naturally, tty answering truthfully the questions otif children ask. Children differ in tins respect, blit the majority do ask questions, and if they are truthfully answered the child’s curiosity is satisfled, his confidence in iiis parents is strengthened, and his sense of truth cultivated. Children are positively uncann> in then ability to discover whether we are trying to evade their questions or not. If we do evade them, they will go somewhere else to get tin* information the> want; we may depend upon that, and we lose their confidence. To secure the obedience of our children and to hold their confidence are n> me of paramount importance. We «an not have tin* first through threats (which are seldom carried out); nor the second by allowing others to be their companions while we are too busy to listen to their prattle, or to be interested in their childish affairs. I was once \ isiting a cousin, when one of her sons, a boy of ton or eleven, came rushing in, and with slight apologies to his mother and me, began to t**ll some childish incident. He suddenly realised that it could not Is* very important to grown-ups at least, for with a quick glance at me. he said, “Aren’t we kids silly, mother, to tell you everything?’’ Quickly his mother replied. “No. indeed. who could he more interested in what you are doing than mother?” Tin small )>oy went out happy and conbided that mother eared more than nnvliody else. That is as it should tie. We must, at the sacrifice of our own pleasure and comfort, if need lie, hold ’ confidence of our children. We must often try to place ourselves n the children’s position. Try to get their view point. Help them to see that father and mother do not wish to curtail their good times or interfere with what they are doing. Except as they, with wider experiences and greater wisdom, feel that it is necessary. Children usually respond to sympathy, and are quick to realise whether it is n dominating will or a sympathetic will

that is trying to control them. Children appreciate justice. We should be just and scrupulously honest in out dealings with lhem, never promisiiu anything, either reward or punishment, unless we intend to carry it out. If after a promise something occurs to prevent the keeping of the promise, we should lie very carciul to see that the child thoroughly understands why ; t is not kept. Our attitude towards others influences our children. If we are critical and fault-finding, oi indifferent to the comfort of others, we are likely to see the same attitude in our children. I do not believe tit all that when we hear or see a child saying or doing something rude or coarse, we can at once conclude that the child’s parents ai* not refined people no. indeed; but in a broad sense children do reflect the atmosphere of the home, and when children hear ministers or teachers or governments constantly criticised or laughed at. they will have very little respect for the said people or Governments. Above all, our children should see in us a love and respect for the “Things of t’.od," which should influence them more than anything else. They are so quick to see God’s hand in all fctbout them. One of my boys, when a little fellow, looked from a hat with artificial flowers on it out of the window to some flowers in the garden Suddenly his face lighted, and he exclaimed, “Oh. mother, I know God made those flowers Himself, and He sends His coolies to make this kind.” God in both, but in a different way. Don’t let us, by word, look, or action, injure our children's love for God and what He has created, and for Jesus Christ. His Son. , By precept and example our children should be taught to be temperate, not alone concerning liquor, important as that Is. but in all things which mean self-control. From a paper by Mrs Ray <\ Smith, of Fatchpur, U.P., India.