Show freedom for elders the ru ruling ling of parents by grown children often amounts to tyranny rewriter n says a woman writer of note I 1 read a letter from a young married woman who having a house in which she evidently took pride and large enough to accommodate her mother was disturbed she resented the flet that her mother refused to live there although she had been invited to do so she complained of her mothers travels and her insistence in keeping her own home A strange plight it if was impossible not to consider what were the reasons underlying der lying the invitation the young woman said her friends thought the situation strange and she feared they blamed her for not having her mother with her such super sensitiveness is certainly a mistake nI stake it can scarcely be taken as the real reason for her annoyance no yance the home atmosphere would scarcely be improved by having a reluctant member included in the family life even though the husband agreed to it willingly money aloney matters A reason of money might exist that is there is a lurking suggestion that the daughter disliked the mother being at the added expense of keeping up her home and spending money in travels which went as far as european trips the letter said that the rn mothers others health was good could it be that the money saved by the mother should she live with the daughter would revert to the daughter or would the mother be expected to pay board 1 or make some contribution to til the e home although of a less stipulated sum freedom for mother alother whatever the fundamental reason for the daughters dilemma one cannot but sympathize with the mother here is a woman who cherishes her freedom and is enjoying it evidently either she had been accustomed to traveling and keeps it up or she has not been able to indulge her longing to see the world until now when she is free to do so and has the wherewithal freedom for elders A great deal has been said and written about letting children have their right of freedom of action and ideas it is not they alone that must have this privilege parents when they get older are often ruled with rods 0 iron by the children who were themselves granted freedom this ruling of elders is often under the guises of affectionate care and a patronizing kindness and it sometimes becomes a tyranny especially over mothers such situations are indeed difficult 0 bell syndicate Syndi catt service gervice |