The Detroit times., 1915-10-16
The Child Who Sulks
Bv n. ApDINcTON BRUCE.
Author OF THE Riddle Of Personality.
Psychology and Parenthood," etc.

Nobody likes p sulky child Sukiness Is recog-
nized as something foreign to tho naturaI att'
md of childhood and " arouses, even In par
ents resentful feelings. Unfortunately II does
not always arouse In parents, IA IL shoulu'
determination TO find out just why their chtld
sulks. $500.
ca lculated 10 increase the childs sulkiness Ihey
punish him or they neglect him, layishins Their
affection on some more amiable brother or sister
This does not mend matters. The chances are
that il will make the child more suIs. " cru
atIng feelings OF envy and Jealousy.
what the sulky child really needs is SYM
pathy and THOROUGH MENIAL AND
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, for habitual or fire.
ouent sulkiness is always sign that something
is seriously wrong
Sometimes the sulkiness is entirely due 10
mental-or more strictly speaking, moral-de-
formty caused by UNW1SE INFRINGING IN
THE FIRST YEARS OF LIFE.
The child was then petted and spoiled, being
swamped with toys, and given ms own way IN
everything Thus habits or SElflSHNESS ana
UNDUE SEI,FESTEEM were established.
When later the parents awoke to The necessity
OF moral discipline there was conflict between
the established habits and the new IDEAS OF al
truism and sef-contro
And precisely because habits OF selhshness
and egotsm have been established, SuLhlNhSS
RESULTED FROM THE RELATED AND I'D, I'M
PERFECT EFFORT TO DEVELOP THE CHAR
ACTER Alright.
often. however, sultiness Is symptomatic' not
OF moral deformity, but OF some unsupported
Pli1S ICAls ue1eCl ludt IL NOUNS 40 p" No"'"'h"
source OF irritation.
In one case that has come to my knowledge.
sulkiness that had persisted in spite of the most
sympat hctic treatment vanished AFTER rev ses-
sions with the dentist.
The child had not complained OF his teeth, and
nothing was known OF their diseased condition
until he was taken to a psychological clinic, to
be tested for fecblemindedness. The dreadful
suspicion had arisen in his parents minds that
his colossal sulkiness was due to lack OF brain
matter
Al the clinic II was found that naturally he
was bright enough But IL was also found that
the guns OF his teeth were swollen and infamed.
Examination by dentist then disclosed that he
had not shed all his first teeth properly, and
that the second teeth forcing themselves
through alongside the old ones causing inces-
SAINT and intolerable pressure.
n was an easy matter TO relieve this by ex-
traction Of the oUtgrown teeth. With their re-
moyaI the little fellows sukness became a thing
Of the past.
Similarly children have been cured OF sulki-
ness by operations for the removal OF adenoid
growths by the prescribing OF spectacles for
their defective eyes and by the Swinging of wax.
Impeded
Defects like these are frequent causes OF ner-
yous strain. which I'm the case OF growing chill
dren Is likely 10 manifest itself In sulkiness
or again. the sulkiness may be indicative Of
La GENERAL FUNCTIONAL WEAKNESS Of
THE SYSTEM, calling for toncs, exercise and
perhaps dieting
Always. therefore, the wise parent will not
punish or scOd his sulking child He will in.
stead recognize that the sulkiness is symptom
Of moral mental or physical disease, and must
be carefully treated.
Robert Fulton waH one OF the earliest invent.