West Side News

DOES YOUR FAMILY HAVE FUN TOGETHER? Recently, in Iowa, a poll was taken of 2,000 teen-agers which revealed that 86 per cent of the boys and 83 per cent of the girls said that they had the most fun AWAY from home; yet most of them added a wish that they could find more ways to have fun at home. This is indeed a tragedy, for surely one's first ideas of how to enjoy life begin at home and what we all do and where we go for fun is largely a matter of habit. So much of what we do—going to the movies, listening to the radio or watching television, riding—is merely a "spectator type" of recreation. These are all right in their place, but every person needs to spend part of his leisure time in DOING and in CREATING something himself.

Now that school has started let's not turn over to the teachers ALL the responsibility for our children. Parents need to provide opportunities for play and fellowship as a family. Let us not deceive ourselves by deciding we are good parents just because we have provided our children with lessons, books, clothes, sports equipment, etc. These things are all fine, but along with them parents should give THEMSELVES. There is no real short-cut to a sense of togetherness in a family—it comes only from doing things together with every member of the family participating. THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER.