The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-04-03

When a child IL too tired he Is
Just like anyone else. Nerve wear
mess accompanies muscular wear
fness and when this happens, he Ia
no more responsible for his con-
duct than we are under like con-
ditions.
Observe the good child at the
end OF the day. About three
fourths of poor behavior occurs
after the sun gets toward the west.
There Is difference between bad
conduct and tired conduct, but too
few realize II.
The child taken shopping Is an
other example. He, or she, will
very likely be regular Fauntleroy
or Little Eva, during the first half
of the excursion. Then when he Is
both physically and nervously tired.
he is likely to put on a perform
ance that shocks and embarrasses
his mother. Perhaps he only
whines, or gets obstreperous, but
scarcely d mother lives who hasn't
head some experience Of the kind.
Need Of Relaxation
Children need sleep, all they can
get. and IL 1t Is possible, a rest dur
ing the day. They don't need to
map" necessarily but just lie down
quietly for a little while and rest
their bones. How long this Is kept
up depends upon the condition of
the child--not his age. Very often
children of ten or twelve need this
after school relaxation, II only for
half an hour.
Former articles have discussed
the fatigue" child and the toxic
or poisoned child. These weari-
nesses have pathological sources
and need correcting.
But quite as important Is this
tiredness of the otherwise healthy
child.
Children are strenuous. Some
special power gives them q hun
dred times more endurance than
thor elders. But even so they are
a hundred times more active. as a
rule. The matter we must give
serious attention TO Is that they
are growing, and growth means
building up surplus each day that
goes into poundage. If he uses up
this extra strength and material
as he goes along, and Is constantly
on the reverse" line or below It,
he will be tired most of the time.
This is why he needs sleep. the
great builder. and meal varied and
wholesome.
Force Early Retirement
/ think that parents can safely
be tyrants In one direction, and
this Is about sleep.
Bedtime should be early and no
breakovers. There should be no
excitement, or worry, either, before
bee time. A little fun IL all right.
but the emotionaliy excited child
wi ] lie awake for a long time. The
We rricd or unhappy child will, too.
Downstairs, the rest Of the fam
lily would do well to make certain
sacrifice and dispense with high
jinks or noise, unless the house is
arranged SO that the radio or the
piIno won't remind the lonely one
of all he Is missing. He will get
accustomed to certain house noises
and street noises, too, but there Is
a limit.
Outdoor air and play help sleep.
Oxygen is the friend Of Morpheus.
Sleep Aids Conduct
If he cannot sleep, everything
having been done to encourage IT,
the doctor may find the reason. Or
II the parents suspect unhappine ss
they can quietly go about discov-
ering the cause and try to remove
it.
Sleep is the ally of good con-
duct. IT knits the ravcIed sleeve
of care, and 1t also builds up what
go rs into the sleeve. the arms, the
legs. and the body and brain.
Even one hour too little sleep
will have its effect on the child's
day. One strict rule Of every
house should be bedtime with a
capital. And parents, too. need to
observe the clock and get their
own rest. Both are vitality impor-
.ant.