Milford chronicle., 1930-12-12
HOME EDUCATION
JEALOUS OF THE NEW BABY
Janette Stevenson Murray

JduSIIS STEVENSON Murray
Most of us think that the queer
and ofish people we know were
born that way, but the doctors who
study and treat mental diseases, the
psychiatrists, are pointing out that
a child is not born queer; he devel-
ops queerness through a wrong
bringing up. .....
This queerness is traced back
through his college career, through
high school, junior high, the grades,
the kindergarten, to the pre-school
years. In other words, it began with
the little child in the home under
the parents care. 4t
One of the most frequent causes of
queerness is childhood jealousy of
new baby brother or sister which
fastens itself upon the older child
hindering him from making proper
social adjustments.
81 have watched my little neigh
Dor, Mary, for a number of years."
said one of the pre-school group
leaders. MARY had typical case of
jealousy following the birth of a
baby brother. Although previously
treated with the utmost tenderness
and solicitude, no one now had any
time for the child except to tease
her about having her nose put out
of joint and to laugh at her temper.
Although four years old, Mary
kept trying to hurt the baby and
once she even bit him. Her parents
punished her when they should have
given her more attention and love.
"She has never recovered from
either this jealousy or it's effects. 1t
has warped her in some way so that
she is queer, Secretive and unre-
sponsive, and she cannot get along
with other children. She is develop
ing bitterness and aninferiority COM
pleX because she thinks no one
cares as much for her as they do for
her brother. The mistaken parents
continue to punish her and to point
out her queerness, hatefulness and
general contrariness."
Psychologists tell us that jealousy
has been observed in children as
young as twelve or fifteen months.
Instead of taking these early mani
festations seriously, parents often
think them cute.
When Nathan Thompson petted
his new baby, eighteen-months old
Ruth acted like little spitfire. This
jealousy amused the young father,
so every time he came into the
house he teased Ruth by showing
great attention to the baby.
This teasing started deep-seated
jealousy in Ruth. She had crying
spells, temper tantrums, became
hateful and generally contrary. AS
years passed her trouble was aggra-
yated by constant comparison with
her happy and more popular sister.
Mother would say, "Oh, do wish
Ruth could be more like her young
n sister,"
Both Mary and Ruth we're normal
children at first. In each instance,
was jealousy of the new baby that
made the little girls odd and unso-
ial.
The other day we were in the
iOlAC VI q JOunS llOI4Cl WIN uuuGA-
TODD how to deal with her three
-ear-old son who was to be super
eded.
She said, 1.-TWO or three weeks
efore our baby was born, we told
Sobby he was to have a little bro
her or sister. Bobby at once took
ur attitude that it was perfectly
)vely. He was intensely interested
l helping us change the guest room
ito a nursery. Every detail fasci-
ated him. He had to be shown the
lothes over and over as we'll as the
asket with its toilet articles. He
as ready to love the baby, wanted
, help us take care of him, and
oked forward to having a play
ate. After the baby came, we were
lreful that there should be no dis
Iusionment. Bobby was made to
ell that he was needed more than
-er before, because of his little bro
er, and everything he did took on
creased Importance. We have new
detected any feeling of jealousy"