A Good Mother's Plan

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 12, 1882

A Good Mother's Plan.

A LADY gave us a rule, not long since, by which she had succeeded in interesting her lively, fun-loving boys, so that they preferred to remain at home evenings, instead of seeking amusement elsewhere. She said:—

“I remember that children are children, and must have amusements. I fear that the abhorrence with which some good parents regard any play for children is the reason why children go away for pleasure. Husband and I used to read history, and at the end of each chapter ask questions, requiring the answer to be looked up if not given correctly. We follow a similar plan with the children; sometimes we play one game and sometimes another, always planning with books, stories, plays, or treats of some kind, to make the evenings at home more attractive than they can be made abroad. I should dislike to think that any one could make my children happier than I can, so I always try to be at leisure in the evening, and to arrange something entertaining.

“When there is a good concert, lecture, or entertainment, we all go together to enjoy it; for whatever is worth the price of admission to us older people, is equally valuable to the children; and we let them see that we spare no expense, where it is to their advantage to be out of an evening.

“But the greater number of our evenings are spent at home. Sometimes it requires quite an effort to sit quietly, talking and playing with them, when my work-basket is filled with unfinished work, and books and papers lie unread on the table; but as the years go by, and I see my boys and girls grow into home-loving, modest young men and maidens, I am glad that I made it my rule to give the best of myself to my family.”