WELFARE OF CHILDREN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 263, 25 July 1918, Page 8

WELFARE OF CHILDREN

Sir,—[tern No. I—Dr. 'Iruby King spent much time anil thought upon the lnir.ging up of infants, mid has Riven the mothers of the Doininicn the benefit of his studies, and the Plunket nunses are carrying on the work of advising and helping mothers so that infants may Iμ properly and carefully brought nip. Item No. 2—The lion, the Minister in charge of hospitals, in opening a ward for children in some hospital, discourse!* upon the. propiety of having hospitals wliero children can be treated. Item No. 3—Tn the account of a children's fancy dress party held recently for a, patriotic purpose, will see that a largo number of children were present, special mention being made of a small child about two or three years of ago. Wo aro not told anything of the ages of the other children, but they were cnokeii of as little, and I suppose were probably under twelve yenrs. Now, see how No. 3 conflicts with No. 1, and is dpubtless a cause for the necessity of No. + T have before written about the worse than folly of making little children just out of the stage of babyhood give public exhibitions of dancing, or other accomplishment. It is absolutely wrong to subject them at such an eariy age even as t,w«lvo years, to the excitement, and exertion of_ learning dances and rehearsing for public shows, and then in addition undergoing all the excitement of a public exhibition. And it is not as if there were only public shows. A child making a favourable impression is sure to be trotted out again. Whero is the iwt of curing so much for the infant when at tho age of between two and three, still in babyhood, the child can bo subjected to such a trial as an evening in public hours after it should be in bed? .What do mothors think of their infants? It seems to me that many think it nice to have children, to talk about, to show to their friends, but not to interfere at all with their pleasure; they (the mothers) must be able to go out to afternoon teas, patriotic meetings, conceits, etc., etc., and children are left to the can- of servants. One great thing to be desired out of all the muddle and turmoil of the war in all the countries affeitcd by it is the improvement of the home. No nation can prosper unless the life, of the- home is well cared for, and people who have not that love and reverence for their homes, and who do not pay attention to their "duties towards (heir children and the sacrifices to be m.ido for them, requiro to be educated up to it. Thea may the influence of tho homes be _ felt throughout the nation, and the virtues inculcate in them bo spread abroad lor good Homes will spring up one after another, and never will the'nations life a, >«^^y:»-