Show modern youth and its ways by JEAN NEWTON TAD boure just a conscientious lr l r objector I 1 I 1 heard a boy of twenty say that to a father whose whole life was wrapped up in his children and to whom noth ing in the world meant anything corn pared with their happiness during that boys childhood father and son had been pals but now it seemed they were growing farther and farther apart they no longer seemed to have things in common the fa ther could not escape the terrible hurt that he was losing bis son s con floence to an outsider the reason was ob alous modern youth and its ways were completely awry according to the standards of the older man of course he had only his sons own good in mind there were times when he was undoubtedly right in his conten alon that his son was endangering that good at other times when he created issues it was merely because he was inelastic a bit narrow and a bit stubborn in insisting upon his own standards aa the only right standards instead of recognizing them as something as dated and inappropriate to modern needs as his 1809 clothing would be if he should put it on or a meeting of the 1930 rotary club I 1 the important point of course Is not who Is right in any particular Is sue of 1899 against 1930 it Is that parents can do more for their children by holding their confidence than by being right and if they are going to see everything from the other side of the fence from their children those children cannot have anything in corn mon with them and not only will they feel no urge to give their parents their confidence but to avoid the un pleasantness of constant friction they will consciously or unconsciously avoid those who love them best and are in a position to give them able assistance with the problems of lives it Is a bitter pill for any parent to have to swallow when he realizes that hs son or daughter regards him as a conscientious objector and difficult as it may be to drop standards and ideas alch for a generation we had regarded as the very foundations of the universe to force our set minds around to see things in the light in which we can hold the confidence of those children which Is the most pow bertul weapon for their protection in times of real danger incidentally a mental attitude of doubt as to whether our way Is really always the best way in everything 13 good tor us it helps us keep young 0 1930 bell syndicate |