Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-29
TANTRUMS
By H. AddingtOn Bruce


|0F interest to many parents is a leaHet
II J prepared by DR.. Douglas A. Thorn, of
Boston, and issued by the national
committee of ms tai hygiene. 1t deals with
form of misbehayior of common occurrence
IN little chlldren-the misbehaYiOr of temper
tantrums-often permitted, through wrong
treatment, to become the basis of serious
character defects.
The great difficulty as DR.. Thorn pointed
ly suggests, is that comparatively few par
ents ever ask themselves just why their chill
dren have tantrums There are numerous
and most varied causes for these and OBJ
Viously the correct treatment depends on the
cause
In many cases the tantrum is simply a
means to gain some desired end. Dr. Thorn
notes:
eff your child kicks and screams and
holds his breath, perhaps you fear he will be
sick, and give him his way if he will only
stop. After such successful tantrum
the second will be easier for the child than
the first, the third easier than the second"
The chiId's tantrum, however, may be
designed merely to gain him the satisfaction
of being the center of attention. Or it may
seek the satisfaction of some little gift
notably the gift of candy. Parents who
bride their children with candy may ex-
pect tantrums so long as they use candy as
a pacifer
Oyer-indulgence in candy for that matter,
is itself cause of tantrums as a reflex in
dicatiOn Of ill-health. So, too tantrums NAV
be caused by lack of play, scant rest or in
suthc1ent sleep one effect of these hygienic
errors being nervous irritability. Further
to continue with Dr.. Thorn:
do you oyer-excite your chila by taking
MIN into crowds, or shopping trips, or to the
movies, or by allowing him to be the center
of attention when adults are present?
DO you lose your temper when your
child misbehaves? Perhaps his temper is a
reflection of yours?
When you are angry, do you Shout at
him endlessly, Stop, Don't BE quiet
Come here Get DOWN. This only initiates
the child and has no value except to relieve
your feelings.
DO you encourage a clinglng dependent
attitude IN your child, that he has a tan
trum when you leave him? Have YOU ever
thought how this attitude may make it diff
hcult for him to meet future unpleasant sit
uations?
DO you scold today for what you allowed
Yesterday? Do you refuse a child's wish
without explanation or punish the child with
out his knowing why?
These questions plainly indicate rot only
sundry causes OF tantrums, but also sundry
remedies. More specifically, Dr. Thorn rec
0mmends:
IF tantrums are used by the child to get
his own way stop giving in to him. If to
gain attention, stop paying attention to him
when he has them. and perhaps pay more at
tention to the good things he does. If to Sc
cure a bride, cease to bride
If due TO some physical cause or lack
of play remove the cause and try to give
better play opportunities If the cause is IN
yourself, it will take courage to remove it,
to own to yourself you are wrong, and to
control your temper and habits"
Here, in small compass, is wealth of
valuable hints to parents. May they be as
widely acted on as, unfortunately, they need
TO be.
Copyright, 1924