The Delta independent., 1920-12-17
THE SLEEPY HOUR AND
HOW TO MEET 1T.
BY LuelIa A. Palmer


means to a child as she tucks MIN
into bed Perhaps the caress would
| be given oftener and with added
gentleness if she knew what an in
| fluence it had upon the unfolding Of
a little new life.
Over and over the brain repeats
during the night the events OF the
day, twisting them into fantastic
shapes. These ideas float through the
mind of the child for eight to ten
hours otu of the twenty four-durlns
one third to one half of his life.
Whether the fancies will be happy or
sad is often determined by the last
half hour before sleep begins. And
the repetition of the ideas influences
child's temperament making it more
cheerful or pessimistic.
That last half hour is often a AK
upon the patience of the mother md
older people The child is tired, .te
activity of the day has exhausted him
and he relaxes control over himsejf;
he becomes nervous and excitable or
sluggish and obstinate The adult is
also not so well poised as during the
day ard the sleepy time is often
period of conflicts.
What is the result of discipline Just
before sheep? When a child has been
very naughty and received some
physical correction and had good
cry. he falls into deep sleep. There
is a certain soothingness about the
finality to his treatment: he has been
upset, in an irresponsible, caprici ms
frame of mind during his naughtincss,
then in state of suspense as to the
outcome, and the punishment has
settled his uncertainty, ther is
promise that life will run smoothly in
the morning. The hard cry exhausts
the child physically and he is in
state for rebuilding sleep.
There is another kind of crying IN
sleep which does not bring rest ard
health When a child has been just
little petulant or reluctant TO ooeV'
not naughty enough to be dealt wEh
severely, the adult sometimes speaks
harshly or finds fault with the chl'
and insists on exact compliance Vi n
commands. The little one goes to
bed in a bad humor and cries fretfuIly
An older child will toss restless
The sleep is light and unrefreshing
there is a feeling of something wrong
with the world that he cannot help q
explain. Even If the displeasure in
CURED does not cause the child &c
cry himself to sleep IL that last event
in the day has been disagreeabie enc
no reconciliation has followed the nm
happy mood colors the nights dreams
What shall We do, shall discipline
weaken at the end of the day or sha
we hold strictly to our rules? Shal
we allow the child to be disobedient
ior insist on compliance at the e1
lpense Of everyone's happiness? Wha
Z is truly best for the chiid's good?
The best attempt at solution Ii
prevention Of the difficult situation
The sleepy mood OF the child sho,,i'
always be considered before lIN
requests or suggestions are made.
Il Evening is not the time for correc
ton II it can possibly be postponed
OF course real naughtiness must al
ways be dealt with positively on t,t
spot by an appropriate consequences
But a child should never go to slscI
/ without the forgiveness and III!
of the person who has been compelled
to inflict the punishment. Comfort md
love should go with him into the Ia 6
of dreams often We can afford to c'
the correction of little perverseness S
and mischief wait over for the mo n
| ing.
| One little tired cranky" child re
| fused to put his toys away. The
1 will i.N
tonight and we will talk it all .
| in the morning" After breakfast the
| heart to heart talk came. he was in
| control of himself then and could
reason clearly. The conclusion reach
ed was shown in her final sentence.
Tonight you will put your TOYS
away because you must take care oi
your own property. Mother has rhe
whole house and you and Daddy to
look after" With his mind firmly
made up and strongly set during the
day. there was no further trouble
about the responsibility for clearing
away the toys.
Few children express in words what
they feel about the goodnight caress
but one mother was rewarded Que
morning by a voice beside her bed
| saving Mother, just always have tC
| hug you first in the morning, cause
| you always hug me last at night"
The influence Of that hour may last
through adolescence and youth. One
| grown up son away at college wrote
to his mother. DO you remember how
after had been naughty | was always
sorry. but could not say a word un
til had pumped down into your lay
before going to bed and bored r:y