The case is recalled of a young mother who had two sons, the younger of
whom was a healthy, rosy little lad, while the elder was thin and
delicate. The healthy boy ate heartily of all that was served him, while
the delicate boy only ate choice bits of food and constantly indulged in
sweets. The mother praised the healthy boy and showed her disappointment
that the elder was not like his brother. Suddenly the family noticed the
thin boy was getting stouter and they all told him how pleased they
were, and the mother was beginning to feel very happy when to her dismay
she discovered that he had padded himself. Her heart was touched with
pity when she thought of the pathos in his little mind that prompted him
to resort to such measures. The boy was acting a falsehood in order to
meet his mother’s approval. This may have all been prevented had the
mother sought to ascertain the cause of the poor appetite and supplied
the remedy. Had she taken the time to explain to him food values and the
necessity of fresh air and exercise, seeing that he availed himself of
them, this desire to deceive would probably never have arisen.
The appetite of sex bears the same relation to the continuance of the
species as the other appetites bear to the well-being of the body. The
family based first on natural love is essential to the existence and
development of man. Afterward paternal and maternal love are added and
then come all the wider affections toward mankind.