Practical Problems of Home Makers
By MRS. C. C. LEWIS
A BUSY mother asks the following practical question:— “I recall the fact that my mother taught me to iron in play; but what should you do with a child that soon discovered the fact that what she learns to do in play she soon has to do as work,—the more she learns the more she has to do,—and objects to learning anything more?” I am very much interested in your question, and though I may not be able to give a satisfactory answer, I can perhaps make some suggestions. In first place, one can very easily give a little child too much to do. You perhaps have heard the story of the farmer who wondered why John wanted to leave the farm and go to the city, and yet he laid out enough work for John to do after supper to employ a man for half a day. Now a little child wearies quickly of any line of work; but if the spirit of play can be introduced and maintained to a certain extent, it will serve greatly to lighten labor. Most children like to help others, and if you can lead your child to see that when she wipes the spoons she is helping mamma, so that mamma can help her, it may make the work more interesting. Then, too, we are sometimes inclined to keep children too long at the same kind of work. You know a little child cannot think connectedly nor apply itself connectedly for any length of time, so I would suggest that you shorten the time of labor, and make the duties as interesting and attractive as possible. Again: show her that all must work. Papa works; mamma works; brother works; the birds work for their food; the cat has to hunt mice for her living; everybody and everything must work. She would not want to be a drone in this busy hive. It would be very unfortunate indeed if the child should get a dislike for labor, and I should be on the lookout for various devices by which to make her duties attractive and interesting.