PARENT AND CHILD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 August 1938, Page 8

PARENT AND CHILD

MENTAL STAGNATION. SPOILS HAPPY RELATIONS. One of the most serious barriers to a happy parent-child relationship is the mental stagnation that characterises so many parents. They become so absorbed in the petty details of the daily round that they have nothing to contribute to the mental life of the home, and an evening at home becomes a wearisome duty to the young people. Once the mother is free from the constant demands made upon her by the tiny children, she should make it her business to do at least one thing, once a week, that will act as a mental stimulus and encourage husband and children'to discuss the many interesting things that should add colour and meaning to life. But, good as all these qualities are, a sense of humour must be added to them, because it enables the parents to keep a good sense of proportion, so that they do not over-emphasise little things, and become over-weighted by the burden of the bigger ones. Their own balance helps them to build up in their children a similar sanity of outlook, for which gift alone they should be blessed And,, last but not least, the good parent tries to practise what he preaches. If he expects courtesy from the children, he must give them the model. If he wants his property to be respected, he must respect the child’s. The parent is the child’s model—he imitates his words, his tones, his acts, his attitudes, whether they are good or bad.