Modern Screen (Jan-Dec 1960)

a child in the hope of making up for your having been away is confusing to the child. And I don't come home from a day at work loaded down with gifts. I don't feel that I have to bribe my children because I've been away at work. It's by my actions that I show my children love and warmth, even when I'm away. When I come home, I show them how much I love them in the ways that are natural to any loving mother. But I won't let them get away with misbehaving. That's the worst thing I could do for them. I remember one night when I came home from the set of Psycho, Kelly and I were playing. Then I was called to the telephone. When I returned, I discovered Kelly had scooped a fistful of chocolates in her mouth. She knows she isn't allowed to do that. Did I smile indulgently and think, Well, the poor child's missed me all day — what's a handful of candy if it makes her feel happier? I did not. I scolded Kelly and sent her right up to bed — which is just what I would have done if I hadn't been away from the house working all day. The children of working mothers can either develop into staunch, independent, secure children, or spoiled children, overindulged by mothers who feel guilty because they can't be with their children twenty-four hours a day. However, when I'm working I do spend all my week ends with my children. For their sake and my own, I will not make social dates that would take me away from the house on the few days when we can be together. On one occasion, when I was scheduled to go on a publicity tour in San Francisco for Who Was That Lady, I called it off. Why? Because suddenly we had a change in household help, and I didn't want to leave my two little girls with virtual strangers. A mother shouldn't become panicky for every slight cause. Unnecessary hysteria could turn a working mother and her children into neurotics. Once while I was working in Who Was That Lady, I received a call on the set. It was from my house. The couple who worked for me had suddenly walked out. They hadn't made lunch for the children. It was upsetting, but hardly a crisis. I told my secretary, whom we call "Angel" and who was at the house at the time, just what to give the children for lunch and when to put them to bed. Tenderness and motherly love are not so much a matter of the hours a woman spends with her children. They're a matter of feeling. There are so many small, tender things a working mother can do. For instance, Kelly normally wears her hair in two perky pigtails. On the days of big events such as birthday parties or special days at school, I curl her hair. I put it up myself and she loves it. It's the little things than can be warm and important. . . . Library Day is a big day at Kelly's nursery school. The children sing and are part of a school production. For weeks, Kelly had been telling me about it, her round eyes shining. She rehearsed her little songs at home and dropped mysterious hints about what she was going to do. The week before Library Day, I got a call to report for Pepe on Kelly's big day. Fortunately, I got the call in time to tell George Sidney, the producer, he had chosen one of the worst days in the year for me. I begged him to change the schedule to permit me to start my role one day later. He agreed. I shopped with Kelly for the new dress she'd wear on this important day. We bought a blue-and-white ruffled dress with a starched white pinafore. The night before, I put her hair up in curlers myself. That morning she looked like a real doll. She was proud and I was proud. I drove her to school. As we walked into the school together, I took her hand. When she walked out on the stage, I could see her — just like the other children — scanning the audience to see if her mother was there. How glad I was that I could be! No, I don't think my children feel cheated because I'm a working mother. Here's one of the secrets, which I'm happy to pass on to other mothers: When I come home, I walk into the house buoyant and happy, no matter how hard the day has been for me. Rosemary, never show fatigue to your children when you come home from work, no matter how tired you really are. Just keep in mind the joy that lies ahead of you, now that your typewriter has been covered or your last order for the day written. Remember, as you enter your house after a hard day's work, you are going home to your reward. You are going to have your own little child run up to you and throw his arms around you and kiss you and prattle on to you what he did during the day. Even if your back has ached and your feet have felt like lead, knowing this should be enough to put a spring in your walk, a smile on your face and lightness in your heart. This is the love and tenderness, the feeling that "Mommy's home with me" that a child appreciates. When I work, I work hard. It's usually a twelve-hour day and it's emotionally and physically wearing. Ordinarily, I'd want to go home and not talk to anyone until my nerves have quit jangling. But as soon as I get to the white door of my home, and know that two little girls are waiting to leap into my arms, I don't feel one bit tired Best wishes, Janet Leigh END Janet will guest-star in Columbia's Pepe 7. I LIKE DEBBIE REYNOLDS: QO more than almost any star GO a lot QO fairly well QO very little QO not at all GO am not very familiar with her I READ: Q] all of her story QO part QO none IT HELD MY INTEREST: QO super-completely QO completely QO fairly well Q0 very little QO not at all 8. I LIKE BOBBY DARIN: QO more than almost any star Q0 a lot 00 fairly well Q0 very little Q0 not at all QO am not very familiar with him 1 READ: Qf] all of his story Q0 part QO none IT HELD MY INTEREST: QfJ super-completely 00 completely QO fairly well QO very little QO not at ail 9. I LIKE SANDRA DEE: QO more than almost any star Q0 a lot QO fairly well Q0 very little Q0 not at all QO am not very familiar with her I READ: QO all of her story QO part Q0 none IT HELD MY INTEREST: Q0 super-completely QO completely Q0 fairly well Q0 very little Q0 not at all 10. I LIKE FRED ASTAIRE: QO more than almost any star QO a lot 00 fairly well Q0 very little Q0 not at all 00 am not very familiar with him 1 READ: QO all of his story QO part QO none IT HELD MY INTEREST: QO super-completely QO completely QO fairly well Q0 very little Q0 not at all 11. I LIKE JANE FONDA: 00 more than almost any star QO a lot 00 fairly well QO very little Q0 not at all 00 am not very familiar with her 1 READ: QO all of her story Q0 part Q0 none IT HELD MY INTEREST: Q0 super-completely Q0 completely QO fairly well Q0 very little QO not at all 12. I LIKE JILL ST. JOHN: QO more than almost any star QO a lot Q0 fairly well Q0 very little Q0 not at all QO am not very familiar with her I READ: QO all of her story Q0 part Q0 none i IT HELD MY INTEREST: Q0 super-completely 1 QO completely QO fairly well QO very little Q0 not at all 13. I LIKE WILL (SUGARF00T) HUTCH INS: 00 more than almost any star QO a lot QO fairly well QO very little Q0 not at all 00 am not very familiar with him 1 READ: Q0 all of his story Q0 part Q0 none IT HELD MY INTEREST: QO super-completely 00 completely Q0 fairly well Q0 very little QO not at all 14. I READ: Q0 all of DINING WITH THE STARS Q0 part Q0 none IT HELD MY INTEREST: Q0 completely Q0 fairly well Q0 very little QO not at all IS. The stars I most want to read about are: (D. (2) (3) AGE NAME. ADDRESS CITY MALE (1) . (2) . (3) . 82