The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1925-02-26
TWO WAYS OF HANDLING
TANTRUMS

Mamma! want to go out and
play" four-year-old Flossie announc-
ed one morning.
"Not today, DEAR" answered her
mother. at is too damp and rainy"
please mamma" coaxed Flossie,
81 like rain"
After more teasing to no avail,
Flossie resorted to new scheme that
she was sure would bring mamma to
time, that of berating all her moth
er's friends and relatives.
"Granma's bad! Grandpa's bad!
Aunt Mary's bad!" Flossie paced the
floor as she made the announcements.
To the child's utter chagrin, her
mother ignored her completely. Any
thing would have been better from
Flossie's standpoint than to be ig-
nored; even spanking would have
been preferable, for she would have
known she was making some impress
sion on mother. She soon wearied of
that scheme when she could see no eff
feet at all. Then she resorted to the
only means, she had left to bring
mother to time, that of having tan
trum, the first and only tantrum she
ever had.
Flossie was not angry when she be-
gan her tantrum, merely determined
to gain her point.-You see / have a
perfect right to tell you what Flossie
thot, for / was Flossie.- Flossie
lay down on the floor and kicked fur
iously and yelled, 81 want to go out
doors and play, I do" Still, mother
paid no attention whatsoever, and af-
ter few minutes Flossie wearied of
her one-sided game and began playing
with her dolls as good humoredly as
ever.
Contrast Flossie's experience with
that of young Charles. When Charles
was about two years old he developed
the habit of screaming for what he
wanted and crying furiously if the
other children did not give up to him.
If this did not bring the accustomed,
"Let the baby have it, children" from
mother, or "Give that to Charles this
instant. You ought to be ashamed of
yourself to make him cry," from IA
Their, Charles bumped his head, kicked
his heels, stiffened himself and bel
lowed, until one of his distracted par
ents would give the desired command
to the other children. Then he would
grasp the coveted article, shut his jaw
defantly and grunt one long "Ugh"
after another until the spell subsidized.
This course was followed until Charles
became so adept at gaining his point
that, even after the arrival of another
baby, he continued to hold sway. 1t
was the baby who had to give in 20
Charles, not Charles to the baby.
Charles soon learned that the whole
family stood in awe of his mad
SPELLS and he made use Of his SUI
premacy on every possible occasion.
Eventually, his parents wearied Of
having a great big four-year-old ly-
ing on the floor kicking his heels and
screaming at the top of his voice a
dozen times a day and began punish
ing him for it, and while they event
ually succeeded in putting an end TO
his tantrums by this method, he is
still, at eighteen years of age, so dis
agreeable that his family can scarcely
live with him, for The selfishness
which was cultivated in him in baby
hood has grown to monstrous proper
lions.
The first time any child shows a
determination to have its own way III
defiance of better judgment or at the
expense of others, crying, holding
the breath or tantrums, that is the