ast.

Many parents treat these sex problems so lightly and endeavor to act
so naturally and unconcerned about these questions, that the child
comes to look upon the promiscuous sexual relations of the animal
world as something altogether natural; and, unless proper moral and
religious training is carried on at this time, he stands in danger of
coming to regard lightly the moral standards of modern society.

At the same time of life that Mother Nature fully develops the sex
instincts--at adolescence--she also awakens the religious emotions;
the one being so necessary for the proper and adequate control of the
other. Let parents take a cue from old Mother Nature, and at the same
time the sex relations of animals are freely discussed with the
growing child, let the mother or father wisely call attention to the
fact that but very few of the animals live family lives as do human
beings. In this connection valuable use--by way of illustration--can
be made of the ostrich and some of the ape family who are loyal and
true to their chosen companions.

Moral and religious instruction must accompany sex-hygiene teaching
just as soon as you leave the realms of botany and enter the sphere of
zoology. We could here relate many a tragic experience which our
patients have passed through as a result of volunteering too much sex
knowledge and at the same time neglecting this very necessary moral
instruction.

SANTA CLAUS AND THE STORK

We must bear in mind that the child believes what we tell him; he
trusts us implicitly and we owe it to him to teach him the truth in
answer to his numerous questions. We must keep his confidence. Take
the matter of Christmas, for instance. How many confidences have been
broken over the falsehood of Santa Claus and the chimney. Two little
fellows hesitated in their play in the back yard, and the following
conversation was heard: "You know that story about Santa Claus is all
a fake." "Sure it is, I know it isn't so, I saw my father and mother
filling the stockings. You know that stork story is all a lie too,
there's nothing to it, babies don't come that way, and now I'm
investigating this Jesus Christ story, I suppose that's all a fake
too." The fact of the matter is, that while these children have
discovered the truth of the first two stories, for a long time they
will query the third story, for to them, that too is mysterious and
fairy-like. They hadn't seen Santa or the Stork and had only heard
a