New-York tribune., 1907-09-23
A CHILD'S TANTRUMS.
They Should Be Nipped in the Bud-It Takes
Wise, Firm Mother to Do It.
BY. V. NJ Wheat

Does your little boy girl ever have the tan
truTns? Do you know what it means to attempt 10
enforce command and have sweet bit OF low
able humanity become transformed within 1eW
seconds into a raging. screaming. stamping httie
ternagant? watched one a short time ago-such
an ethereal fairylike little she was that
just to see her made long touch her to
learn if she real.
Wen, this day she was real-not doubt Of it.
Her mother had begun by mildly suggesting that
she wear her rompers for play on the back lawn
one swelteringly hot afternoon but the child oh
tected vigorously Then the mother insisted. and
in about ten seconds there perfectly devel-
oped cyclone il progress
From side point I could not but admire the
coura ageousness displayed by that mere baby.
1 have pretty long memory, and I know very
well what would have happened promptly had 1
eyinced AT her age the very infintesimal part Of
what she was carrying through a finish. I do
rot remember trying the experiment but once.
In this instance the mother and ! and lis
tened. Ihere was nothing else TO do Conversation
OF any klnd was impossible. The purple swollen
face the tightly clenched fists. the little. dancing
feet and the rapid volley of piercing shrieks
alarmed considerably. but the mother appeared
be used to them. With the occasional opening OF
the otherwise tightly closed eyes 10 permit rapid
survey Of her mothers undecided face. the child
continued her tantruln until with stamp of eX
oSperation the mother cried yehemently-
We'll. have your OWN way, then, you bad. dis
obedient child. Put your white dress if YOU
want -. You drive distraCted"'
With a the child few her. buried her
face in lap and sobbed convulsvely in reaction
until her mother gathered into her arms.
kissed comforted and forgave her. Then she ran
off to he deced in her White dress. instead of the
desDised ronpers
she is such nervous little thing that I
really afraid her much said her
mother in apologetic explanation, and then too,
/ suppose she does hate 10 wear her rompers in
the afternoon. when most children dressed.
What a pity it that she couldn't have
ogTiZed the Teasonableness OF the chtld's objec-
ton IN the first place. instead OF combating Il
senselessy and causing such dreadful scene, I
wondered how much greater strain could she have
put the child's nervous system than she had
already allowed and purpose
T5ntrums really not such bad things 70
on ercone but they are certainly mighty bad things
not 10 overcome In reality. they just natu-
raj outcome Of the little crying spells Of babyhood.
that usually caused h. nothing IN particular.
but were always productive OF rich results Of
sweeties and smiles and CoaXings and kisses tand
all love those things at any age) After
little the clever little calculator learns TO use this
bit Of playing to the gallery stock in trade.
knowing Well that when he has created sufficient
annoyance his object IS gained. The standpoint OF
his argument depends upon maintaining an audi
ence-in fact. his whole argument depends upon it.
The stamping and screaming are of absolutely no
satisfaction and to purpose II they do not pro-
duce an annoyance in proportion TO their vio-
lence.
Perhaps il that mother had removed both child
and despised rompers to another room sufficiently
be practical. and had forbidden her To
leave it until cries stiled and rompers
donned. and then had quietly closed the door and
left her there she might that night have turned
with relief new page in her book OF experience,
and the child-pTaC aCtcel little soUl-would most
assuredly have done the same.
These violent fits Of temper unquestionably
detrimental to the health of a child. They
distinct shock and strain the system.
as the exhaustion that comes with reaction in
varabiy indicates II allowed TO occur with fire.
quency a child viii soon lose all of self
control and become fractious. fretful and unrea-
sonabe. Unhappy and dissatisfied himself. he will
become burden 20 those who belong TO him and
a thorn in the side Of those who obliged
come in contact with him
Surely, with much at stake. II is worth while
FOR mother 70 little ingenuity and a great
deal Of frnness in THE beginning. when these S.
easy avert