I often worried about being acceptable to the other kids at school. It didn't take me long to learn the truth of every situation. If Mother had said, "We don't do it that way" that it was senseless to argue with her about it. One time I wanted to have my hair permed and wear it down, with a ribbon around my head. Mother did not want me to have a permanent while I was so young. A perm was ever so much stronger than they are now. I couldn't agree and often brought the subject up. On the hope it would stop me COLD, Mother ket me know that if I could earn the $12.00 to pay for it, then I could do it. I think I was nine yeaars old. The World War2 had just ended and so I started looking for babysitting jobs. Husbands were coming home and they needed to have some alone time. I was paid 25 cents an hour. Usually I was hired for the length of a movie, 2 hours or so.
To make a long story short, I baby sat as often as I could. Weeks later I still had earned only a few dollars. Summer was here and the heat made it better to wear my hair braided and off my neck. By the time I had earned the amount of money I needed, school was getting close and I bought myself new pair of shoes. Mother never crowed over her victories, but she did comment on the fact that I had such good "judgement" to buy shoes.
It is true, we are not involved in a popularity contest and parents who expect obedience and press for it, have the best teenagers. I loved knowing where my boarders were. I didn't always love being obedient, but I did learn how much easier life is when we are obedient.
