When a child fails to live up to desirable standards, his parents are apt to ask themselves, "What did we do wrong?" Psychologists and educators agree that a child's homelife is most important in determining his attitude toward society.
The thought of the parents, Christian Science shows, is instrumental in influencing the mind of the child. In Science and Health Mary Baker Eddy writes: "A mother is the strongest educator, either for or against crime. Her thoughts form the embryo of another mortal mind, and unconsciously mould it, either after a model odious to herself or through divine influence, 'according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.'" Science and Health, p. 236;
Having often read these words, alert Christian Scientists are careful to inspect the quality of their thoughts frequently to determine what type of influence they are exerting on their children. But what is to be done when the parents have tried to set the best examples and maintain a desirable home atmosphere, and still their children rebel against high and wise standards of behavior?
