Test yourself by these ten easy rules in raising delinquents: Begin at infancy to give children everything they want, then they will grow up to believe the world owes them a living.

When they pick up bad words, laugh at them. They will get attention by these acts and continue to use these words.

Never give them spiritual training. Wait ‘til they’re old enough to decide for themselves.

Pick up after them. Do everything for them so that they will be experienced in throwing away all responsibility on others.

Have arguments and fights in their presence so they won’t be shocked when the home is broken later.

Give them all the spending money they want. Never give them odd jobs to earn their own money. Why should they have tough times like you did?

Satisfy their every craving for food and drink--even if they’re proven harmful for their health. Denial may cause them frustrations.

Take their side against neighbors, teachers, and policemen because you believe they’re prejudiced against your children.

When they get into trouble, apologize for yourself, saying, ‘I never could do anything with them.’

Prepare for a life of grief. You are bound to have it.

The 10 rules above were issued by the State Department of Paroles and Pardons when Tex Byrum was director.

THE MEANEST MOTHER (or parent or caretaker) Kids may call you the meanest mother in the world when, even tho’ other kids eat candy for breakfast, she made you eat cereal, eggs, and toast. My mother insisted on knowing where I was at all times. You’d think I was in a gang. She had to know who my friends were and what I was doing. She insisted if I said I’d be gone an hour, that I would be gone an hour.

I am ashamed to admit it, but she actually had the nerve to break the child labor laws by making me help around the house with cruel things like making my bed, vacuuming the floors, learning to cook, washing the dishes, and mowing the yard.

She always insisted that I tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time I was a teenager, she seemed much wiser, so my life became much more unbearable.

No tooting of the car horn to hurry me up. She would embarrass me to no end by making my date come to the front door. I forgot to mention, while all my friends were dating at 12 and 13, my old-fashioned mother refused to let me date till I was 16. She was mean!

My mother was a complete failure as a mother. I was never arrested or beaten by a mate. My brothers each served our country proudly. In our family, we all have good work ethics, and now our children do. And whom do we have to blame for this terrible way we turned out? You’re right… our mean mother!

We never got to take part in a riot or got to do a million and one things our friends did. The unknown writer of this writing says she is trying to raise her children like her mother did. She thanks God He gave her the meanest mother in the world!

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