In a family of growing children, with a limited amount
of help, what is the best way to have the children help
in the home tasks? By giving each one, both boys and
girls, a definite task to perform, and make each one re-
sponsible for it.
Efficiency in Home Making 41
If the mother has no helper is it advisable for her to
require nothing of the children, in order that they may
have more time for study? No; it is a great mistake;
it is not giving them a square deal, for it will make them
selfish and unappreciative.
Where a mother does her own housework, how old
should the children be before they are allowed to help
with it? When they are not more than three or four
years old they will be perfectly delighted to bring the
dust cloths, or help smooth out the blankets on the bed,
or put the shoes in their places. Even if it is more of a
hindrance than a help, it gives the child a sense of help-
fulness, and aids in his character building. It will pre-
vent children from becoming selfish and unwilling to help
when they are a little older.
Would this plan not be very troublesome where there
were many children? One mother with five children had
trained them in this way, and every morning before leav-
ing for school each child under her careful direction —
the boys as well as the girls — assisted in doing up the
dishes, making the beds, putting the house in order, and
dusting. They were a happy, contented family. They
became efficient helpers, and the mother was not looked
upon by her family as their rightful drudge.
What other effect did it have on the children? They
grew up into helpful, efficient, self-reliant young people.
Where does efficiency begin? It has been rightly said
that efficiency begins in the stomach ; and the health and
happiness of the family certainly depend more upon the
kind of food, the way it is cooked, served and eaten than
upon anything else except a clear conscience, and a real,
vital belief in an all-wise, over-ruling Providence. No
one would think of trusting an unskilled mechanic to
repair his automobile, tune his piano, install his electric
lights, or heating system, to invest his money, or prepare
the plans for his house. No woman would give expen-
sive materials for her gown into the hands of an unskilled
seamstress, but when it comes to the preparation of food,
upon which the efficiency, health and happiness of the
42 Efficiency in Home Making
family depend, we have thought that any one, no matter
how ignorant or unskilled, would answer the purpose.
Many a home has been wrecked because its mistress was
ignorant or indifferent to her responsibilities. Many a
man has been driven to drink, by cold meals and bad cook-
ing. No one can direct others wisely and well in any
line of work she does not know how to do herself, and
the proper length of time it takes to do it well. Skilled
efficient domestics cannot always be had at any price ;
neither can they be expected to do their best when em-
ployed by one incompetent to direct them. Emergencies
may arise when help cannot be had, therefore, no one
has a right to assume the responsibilities of a home-
maker, whatever the size of the income, without fitting
herself for the high responsibility. A turn of Fortune's
wheel may make her dependent upon her own resources.
Page 21
Presented as published in 1915. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
In a family of growing children, with a limited amount of help, what is the best way to have the children help in the home tasks? By giving each one, both boys and girls, a definite task to perform, and make each one responsible for it.
Efficiency in Home Making 41
If the mother has no helper is it advisable for her to require nothing of the children, in order that they may have more time for study? No; it is a great mistake; it is not giving them a square deal, for it will make them selfish and unappreciative.
Where a mother does her own housework, how old should the children be before they are allowed to help with it? When they are not more than three or four years old they will be perfectly delighted to bring the dust cloths, or help smooth out the blankets on the bed, or put the shoes in their places. Even if it is more of a hindrance than a help, it gives the child a sense of helpfulness, and aids in his character building. It will prevent children from becoming selfish and unwilling to help when they are a little older.
Would this plan not be very troublesome where there were many children? One mother with five children had trained them in this way, and every morning before leaving for school each child under her careful direction — the boys as well as the girls — assisted in doing up the dishes, making the beds, putting the house in order, and dusting. They were a happy, contented family. They became efficient helpers, and the mother was not looked upon by her family as their rightful drudge.
What other effect did it have on the children? They grew up into helpful, efficient, self-reliant young people.
Where does efficiency begin? It has been rightly said that efficiency begins in the stomach ; and the health and happiness of the family certainly depend more upon the kind of food, the way it is cooked, served and eaten than upon anything else except a clear conscience, and a real, vital belief in an all-wise, over-ruling Providence. No one would think of trusting an unskilled mechanic to repair his automobile, tune his piano, install his electric lights, or heating system, to invest his money, or prepare the plans for his house. No woman would give expensive materials for her gown into the hands of an unskilled seamstress, but when it comes to the preparation of food, upon which the efficiency, health and happiness of the
42 Efficiency in Home Making
family depend, we have thought that any one, no matter how ignorant or unskilled, would answer the purpose. Many a home has been wrecked because its mistress was ignorant or indifferent to her responsibilities. Many a man has been driven to drink, by cold meals and bad cooking. No one can direct others wisely and well in any line of work she does not know how to do herself, and the proper length of time it takes to do it well. Skilled efficient domestics cannot always be had at any price ; neither can they be expected to do their best when employed by one incompetent to direct them. Emergencies may arise when help cannot be had, therefore, no one has a right to assume the responsibilities of a homemaker, whatever the size of the income, without fitting herself for the high responsibility. A turn of Fortune's wheel may make her dependent upon her own resources.