Evening star., 1928-03-24
Reply.

Yes. most children have whins. though
not as many as one father counted In
his small boy At the age Of /. 2 and 3
years, which Is the age Of whims. There
were more than 81 varieties.
At one stage John wouldn't eat his
cereal from the dish but only from the
pan: Or when refusing 70 eat would do
% II you first put the spoon through
crackers when left for him 70 get, not
when handed 70 him: or he must have
taEo crackers Just alike: wouldn't get
dressed except IN . certain chair: cried
when you put new hat on him because
be wanted the old one: wouldn't eat his
grange when cut IN small pieces, but
must have large ones
At one time mother must b2tae or
feed him or put him 20 bed: at an
other time father Suddenly insists
on being called Johnny. The sugar
must 90 On the oatmeal before. not
after. she milk In short, everything
must be done just SO or there is re-
beliaon. Another child won't eat the
biscuit unless the butter ig put On the
patterned SIDE. no. the other, and a
third WON'T eat unless the plate is first
handed around the table A fourth
must have the DARK blue. not the light
blue. plate. The List is endless.
What does II al mean? II means
that children are creatures of habit.
not aE their elders because the latter
have been doing things 50 long that
they Flaye fallen into a rutJ. but because
fneY are 50 lnpreSsionabie that doing
q thing two Or three times forms
habit; Wi1lns are passing habits in the
making. but made on the childish pat
tern. a child with many 9ood-shims
Is gropang for some way 10 make IL
easier ~ eas. 70 overcome food
ye9istas2ce.
But there IS more 10 IL than that
The young child Is learning 70 tse iIs
viii. u u no more expert al that than
- anything eise. A. the same age II
talks. but not quite plainly; II handles
things, but not very gEillfuIly; II can
manage the easy. not the hard part Of
dressing Il iz learning ~ get control
q muscles, and II Is likewise learning
how 70 use is Will II Is not expert At
the toD. azlo can show viii most easily
by protesting until II has us own way.
Along with that comes a sense Of power
lis fun 70 make other people DO things
your way
Nor is IL an accident that 30 many
N3alnag have " % With food, II child
has q gDoc, steady appetite II won I
GeFelog So many food-WnjulS. For many
children eating isn't altogether easy
Appetite aE capTlcio9s. There is danger
that children, II h8moFed VIII enjoy
being the center u attention and hag-
ing others fuss &nc worry oyer them
Eut Il tie aplHsilte Is strong. ~hInaS
ere ~eSk
Certainly %iims should never be en-
eousagec. but they may have " IT.
L0.efateo, especially u they are inno-
Gent You caul expect d cillId " form
ali The Ilgi4s habits II Oface. II IaE "
learn anc up!earn, ~ grow ard oHtgrow
Csae may De ln6ulgent " some anIfns
snd yet guard against tne Wi9im habit
Tie whole picture u al infants learn
ing Ii q constant sfllft in interest anS
habit Training a child is a e0nslsn
RsschfglGeES ~ adapting Wl}9t Is 0e
ffsDae ~ what ls possible There IL (
~him Stage that hss ~ BE- pas6es
through II should De tolerated. b.
promptly djJeeted " useful anc ofderi.
wiling
EUL ~ doing that ~ trying ~, 90
meet Nlth A0 much difficulty thst
Iemgts ugse " believe mat nature ha
Bfade tniags as nara ss possible. Ia
kind u clilc u wilOD9 II would Ne eaa
~ bFeak up wIl3us by Just, flif
snsiSLAnce "konseBset Just rat tf1a
Rs IL is and no fuss about n," h jas
tie ei1ilG Sh9 isn't likely ~ 1eYelo
strong 9nifnk
BIT the claila with many stQbbeE