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Show Modern Parenthood The modern mother, if we are to believe the popular novel and the scenarfo writer, is a pleasure-seeking, irresponsible creature who divides her time among bridge and dancing and "parties" where the conduct is "advanced;" while the modern father is even less of a father than he used to be. But the. Conference on Modern Parenthood, held at the Waldorf-Astoria) under the auspices of the Child Study Association of America, has framed quite a different picture. A renewed sense of parental responsibility and interest which has now reached the proportion of a full-fledged national movement. This modern parenthood is quite unlike the old-fashioned variety, va-riety, but it has much to recommend it and merits a thorough understanding. Like most modern tendencies, its roots are in the indus-1 trial revolution. One by one the processes of a machine-J made age have robbed the housewife completely of some of her home occupations spinning, weaving, making the family clothes, often even baking and laundry; while the gas stove; the electric light, vacuum cleaners, dish-washing machines and a score of other devices have reduced the burden of her remaining duties to a minimum. Hie growth of public edu-' cation has relieved her, to a considerable extent, of the care of her children after the ages of five or six. American wives, comparatively self-reliant because of the unusual share of U'jmestic responsibility they have been called upon to bear, mU2 n d in their new freedom their own individuality "LIi-4i s t i n c t from their status as wives and mothers Like strong wine, it has gone to the heads of more mature, have used it for self-develop-;id social improvement. Still others have en-' and the professions-getting. professions-getting. has come a flood of new knowledge of adults in their relation to children. - Modern .1 time on their hands are seizing upon this ma-ividity ma-ividity ; they will make the routine training pfl children their profession. Organized child-study' ive grown in numbers prodigiously within the past .s, and books on the care and rearing of children find-v-vv: , . more ready market. Business and professional . .hers give their children of preschool age what they believe $ i be the more expert care and better material surroundings of the rapidly-growing "nursery schools." Whether modern y '' parenthood will produce a finer race of men and women than, the "(old-fashioned father and mother has yet to be demonstrated, demon-strated, but it seems to focus the present set of economic and social change. Psychologists maintain now that children suffer from o-verconcentrated love and attention, as well as too mur-h sterness and severity. |