The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-03-31
Child Guidance
by
Frank Howard Richardson
M. D.. F. A. c. P. -,
Black Mountain, N. G., and
Brooklyn. N. Y.
HABIT FORMATION

Habits are hard to break. Any
one who has ever tried to give up
smoking. or stop drinking coffee,
or discontinue swearing even
mildly. can testify to this. And it
is almost as difficult to break a
good habit, as it is to stop a bad
one! :,
A noted psychologist explained
this when he said: "a man does
not HAVE habits. He is his hab-
it's" What did he mean?
If you are asked what sort OF a
man a friend of yours is, you may
answer: "He is hard worker;
he doesn't drink, but smokes in
ccssantly. He is g model father
and a good husband. He is not
interested in either politics or re-
ligion." What have you really
told about your friend?
You have said that it is his hab-
it to work hard; that it is his hab-
it to smoke a lot, but not to drink;
that his habits about the home are
desirable; but that it is not his
habit to go to church. or vote,
which are the habits Of good citi-
zen and religious person.
Now your friend would still be
a good worker, even if he loafed
fol q dav or a week. And if ne
were to- take a drink, stop smok
ing for a while, vote once, and
drop into church q few times, you
could still truthfully say what you
said before. For it is his habits
what he does habitually, not oc-
casionally-that determined what
he really is. In a word, then, his
habits are the man himself; he is
the sum total of his habits.
Some folks think that good hab-
its have to be formed consciously,
while bad ones, like Topsy, "just
crow" Not so; good habits are
as easily formed as bad ones. Par
cnts can decide which it is to be.
If we permit a youngster to get
the habit of thinking terrifying
thoughts at bedtime, instead Of
peaceful, pleasant ones; to get the
habit of obtaining what he wants
by screaming and crying, instead
Of by more acceptable actions; to
get the habit of biting his nails,
sucking his thumb, or making IL
ritating sounds, instead Of occupy
ing himself with more satisfactory
pursuits; we shall have that bun
die Of bad habits that society la
bells "the nervous child" ....
Learning these bad habits, I'M
learning them, and then forming
good ones to take their place, is a
three-fold job that wise parents
will want to spare themselves and
their children. Why not help
them to form good habits in the
first place-one process. instead
of three?
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
QUESTION: Dear DR.. Richard
son: When our little girl was
three, we moved from place
where she had children to play
with, to a home where there were
only adults. She has now devel-
oped a queer streak, in which an
imaginary child, whom she calls
Terra dine," seems to be con.
sfantly in her thoughts. She talks
acout her, Or to her, all the time;
she apparently listens to her an
Swers; and she makes a place for
her at the table, in bed, and in hel
piayroom. Is this normal? I never
heard of such q thing before.
noring. ''''N =,
-. ANSWER: The question of the
imaginary companions" while NOT
exactly normal and certainly moi
desirable, is nevertheless oIite
commonly encountered. EspeciallI
| does it occur in the case of "onIv;
children; and in them particular,
where they have suffered such ;
deprivation as your little girl nm.
derwent. 1t is wisest to ignore The
young lady. just as you have done
especially when, as YOU descr;h4
elsewhere in your very interest