OUR CHILDREN
Patri, Angelo
Our Children By Angelo Patri WHAT is one to do with a child who stages a tantrum? If he is a normal child he throws a tantrum to force his way upon some adult, usually his mother, who stands in...
...Once he gets the idea that he can hold up anybody Le wishes to bend to his will, he takes the upper hand and will give you a hard tussle to regain it...
...Physical defects often underlie unhappy behavior...
...It is difficult not to show embarrassment, or anger, when he lies down on the floor of a shop and kicks and howls because he cannot have a goldfish...
...If he is a normal child he throws a tantrum to force his way upon some adult, usually his mother, who stands in the way of his will...
...Douse him thoroughly with cold water until you drown out the tantrum completely...
...It is mighty hard not to lose poise when he stages a dramatic show in front of his grandmother who thinks you don't understand him...
...But if all else fails you, there is one standby that will not fail...
...He may protest a bit or he may take it quietly, being worn down some, and...
...First try removing him to a quiet room and leaving him there with the door shut...
...That encourages him...
...Make sure that children given to such behavior have no defects of hearing, vision, and the like difficulties...
...Many a household has been cursed by that sort of personality...
...But hold tight and you will win...
...He will go without more fuss and sleep it off...
...Then undress him, rub him down, with no remarks, no kind words, just efficient handling, and put him in bed...
...He will not die...
...Make no mention of it...
...If the child shows any indication of backwardness have him examined by a children's specialist before treating the tantrum...
...Don't lecture about it...
...Don't ever allow a child to frighten you with his tantrums...
...Don't rear one...
...Don't Lecture About It It is no kindness to allow a child to dominate a family with his selfish temper...
...Tantrums set a bad habit in the child's nervous system...
...Reasoning is wasted breath with children of three years, the tantrum age...
...kicks, a subdued wailing, then surrender...
...He will live to try again if you don't prove to him once and for all that he gains nothing but endures personal discomfort by any such behavior...
...He must learn at the first demonstration that he wins nothing and loses all by his mistaken action...
...If he does not overcome them in childhood, they will hold over through life and make him an impossible person to live with...
...He must not gain anything, not so much as a kind word...
...Psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, lawyers, long suffering families, know them well...
...Usually that will result in a few shouts and...
...fall asleep...
...When All Else Fails If that fails, try washing his face gently, without any talk, and putting him to bed...
...Try not to be excited...
...Once the tantrum is over, forget it...
Vol. 8 • April 1944 • No. 15
