There is an instinct that tells the little birds, when to come north in the spring, and there is likewise an instinct that tells our youngsters when it is time for the first John across the fields. It is always earlier than I anticipate, but perhaps that is because my touch with nature weekend as the years go by. Anyway, the time has come this season, the children say, and we have made the first momentous pilgrimage "over the pasture to Elmira's." When we make this trip, spring has formally arrived. The route "over the pasture" includes a hog lot, about six fences, a creek, or two, a field of corn stocks, and what not: but when the time comes, mother is expected to negotiate these difficulties without a murmur, though she would infinitely prefer to get out the car and go by the civilized road. But a mother never knows when she will lose cast with her children, by weakness, in such little matters: and I for one would not risk complaining.
The sun was bright in the sky, was blue on the day, selected: but the ditches ran brawling with water, and the ground was spongy with recent rains: and the wind blew raw. At the last moment, daddy convinced the children that the regular route was not a fit trail for a house plant like mother, and the obligingly consented to go around by the road, provided we would not walk on the gravel street along, but would have to follow the leader.
Line Up in Military Order
The leader was Ruth, of course. She lined us up in formal fashion and outlined to set of signals, which she fondly imagined where the last word in military discipline. She is partial to autocratic methods, when she is in charge of a project. This would work out very effectively, if it were not for the fact that the boys are what you might call "personal rights" men. Isn't it strange that we admire an adult some of the traits that annoy us most in children? Since being acquainted with my little brood, I never read a biography of a great man, saying, "He knew what he wanted, and never let anything interfere till he got i," but what I think, "How he must've annoyed his sister when he was little!" And whenever I hear a woman talk strongly about "standing up for her rights," I think she must've been driven into such firmness by her little brothers, being obstreperous and rebellious in their childhood.
Picks Precarious Places
But anyway, we set out on our journey this morning, when fate decreed we should go. The leader system seem to be to choose the most precarious places to walk. We walked odd, stepping-stones back-and-forth over the ditches: we crossed the creek, not by bridge, but by frail branches and clumps of trash that have been caught in the stream: at one place, we crept through a hole in a hedge, and walked in the lane roughened by cow tracks. Not even the most tender hearted poet could've referred to our "light and air tread." All in all, it was a clumsy and strenuous trip, but in spite of the difficulties we managed to admire the pussy willows and the other growing things we found. Once mother almost lost her grip on her iron nerves, however: that was when brother brought up for admiration a graceful baby grass snake about 6 inches long and as thick as a lead pencil of a most adorable shade of green! It would've harmonized beautifully with the kitchen woodwork, but we did not bring it home.
There is much of courage and appreciation for a mother to learn by taking a walk with her children. She has a chance for a wonderful renewal of childhood, which will be richer for the years of living that have passed since her own have forgotten early experiences in a great wide wonderful, beautiful world. And it seems to me that it gives the child a fair chance in life to have as much enjoyment with his parents as he can be given. Goodness knows, we have to curtail their pleasure soon enough "we have to discipline them early, to protect them from a harsh world. Let's at least be playful with them when we can!
Why They Were Punished
Did I ever tell you about the interesting investigation some teachers made with a lot of children of kindergarten age? The problem was to find out something about the punishment of children; and the teachers asked the children tell them what they were punished for. Three fourths of the acts that were punished were not wrong in themselves, but involved inconvenience to the adults in charge of the children. One little fellow said that he was punished for "sittin' on the sophy' in my dirty pants, and for setting on the ground in my clean ones."
It is commendable, I am sure, for any parents to have their child as a work of art "setting on the sophy'" in clean pants, part of the time: but for health and happiness, dress him so he can sit on the ground part of the time in pants they can't be spoiled by normal activity. And play with him while he is in his play clothes. He will be surprised how much he will learn about him, and how much more competent you feel to manage him and, incidentally, you will learn a lot about how to manage yourself.
But I hadn't much time to let my mind well thought such as these during our blitz and busy trip. We reached home at last: and mother was ready to relax for an absolute rest, after devoting the better part of the morning to active offspring, hoping they too, were ready for a period of quiet. But alas for hopes! Before anyone had a chance to sit down, there came a new that refrain that runs like a golden thread, through all mothers, waking hours: "Mother, now, what can we do?" – Hope.