The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-01-23
:YOUR CHILDREN
By Olive Roberts Barton
@I952 eY NEA SERVICE INC:

Have you a cry-baby in the fam | fly? Does he or she fill up and
 "bawl' every time the least little
 thing happens? Does he or she suddenly "boo-hoo" all over the | place If you show any sympathy. or speak kindly or try to coax the ! small martyr out of t?
 If such an unfortunate wee per-
 son is In your midst sometimes
 not so wee at that-I should like
 to say something here. My sym
 pathy Is entirely with the cry-baby
 and with no one else. For q cry
 baby Is the most miserable little
 soul on earth and 1t Is not his own fault.
 The reasons for such q condi- ton of soul and mind are too nu-
 merous to set into a short column.
 1 can mention only few of them. They're Sclf.Centcrcd
 To begin with, If we can dignity tots by q long name, such children are emotional introverts." An in- trovert, being q self-centered per-
 son. looking at the world through glasses dipped in his own emotions,
 doesn't get that way by chance. There is n dispute here among
 scientists. some declaring that the type Is born, others cOntending that both type, introverts and their opposites. "extraverts," are
 set in the cradle during the first few weeks of life--what we call
 their reaction to society" At any rate the cry-baby Is an
 introvert, although not all intro- verts are cry-babies. The weep
 ing, suffering, self-pit habit Is ac-
 cented. as he grows older. by
 these things:
 scolding! Never scold cry
 baby for crying. Get him interest ed in something else instantly.
 something outside of himself. Take
 him for q walk, play game he
 likes, read him n story, fill the bath tub and let him sail paper
 boats. Anything, but make 1t something he wants to do. Never shame him. A cry baby
 hates himself more than anyone possibly could. He Is ashamed be- cause he knows he Is weak. Keep very tactful and sou ding sincere. and by letting him do things that he does well. Remark on his
 bravery, on his kindness, on his obedience, cleanliness, smartness, anything you can think of that
 you know and he knows to be true. Not too much sympathy! When your emotion clinches with lis own self-pity 1t makes a workable wa terspout of trouble. lie will want
 1t and feel deserted without it. but let judgment ever rule your heart.
 Don't be too cold .blooded, but a
 smile and word of kindness will
 do more than cooing and rocking. Don't talk about 1t to other peo-
 ple. To advertise 1t shrivels his pride and only adds one more thing for him to brood about,
 keeping his thoughts upon him.
 self. Don't let him moon around. Keep him very busy.
 Shouldn't Be Tcascd Don't let him play with children
 who tease or mock him. Take one playmate into your confidence and later on two or three, unt1 he es-
 tn blishes q different point of view. Then lots of friends.
 If he is selfish. get him out of 1t gradually by first learning to
 give things to someone he likes and
 admires. Then play that up as
 time goes on. l should work hard on that.
 Don't let him get too tired. And keep him from excitement. He will feed on excitement If you let
 him. That makes for nerve fa- tigue. Don't tell him unhappy. dismal or modbid stories. Don't talS trou- ble before him. And see that he sleeps n lot. Keep him clean. Gradually give him small responsl.
 biiitIes. He should learn the word
 work" cry-babies are likely. lf
 niishandled. to grow up Into shirk. CTS.