The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-05-09
Child Guidance
u. by Ns..s "a.
Frank Howard Richardson
M. D.. r. A. C.. P.
Black Mountain, N. c., and
Brooklyn, N. Y.
EMOTIONAL. FIXATIONS


We chatted the other day about
the development of the widening
emotional. life of every man,
starting with the intense pre-oc-
cupation of the newborn infant
with himself, and gradually
widening to take in the rest of
his world. And We talked of the
tragedies, major and minor, that
take place when this development
is halted, arrested, or fixated, at
some intermediate stage. But we
had not the time to mention
some of the causes.
They fall into three great
classes; CD living too long and
intensely at one of these stages,
(2) living through it too quickly
(just the reverse, you see), and
6 suffering from some severe
emotional shock while at this
stage,-any of these may cause
an arrest at an immature level
or development.
For example: A boy smothered
under the unwise demonstrations
of doting mother, may remain
flxated at the stage of immatur-
ity of the perennial mammals
boy" while another boy, denied
any maternal affection when this
is naturally due him, may fail to
pass this point in his develop
ment, and. be permanently unable
to function at a more mature
level. Thus opposite causes pro-
duce the same result.
And any severe emotional
shock, such as undue disapproba-
ton or censure for some mistake
committed during one of these
immature emotional stages, may
likewise make it impossible for
an Individual to progress beyond
that level. ' ',:'
Hard to understand, and hard
er still to believe? Perhaps: but
think it over and see if it dqoes
not explain many puzzles in your
own life and that of your friends
and acGuairtances. v
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
QUESTION: Dear DIR. Richard
son: NY little son has developed
a habit of being extremely dis
agreeable to the children who
come in to play with him. / don't
mind this so much now; but his
father and l are greatly concern
ed over what this may develop
into. We are so anxious that he
shall be a good mixer. and popu-
Lar; and this trait will of course
nrevent that.
. ANSWER: If parents would
only live more in the present,
and less in the future they
would save themselves much use
less worry and anxiety. So many
of the things we worry about in
our children this week, will be
things Of the past next week.
This does not mean that we
should not deal with objection
able traits as they appear; but it
does mean that we ought not to
make the job harder by worrying
over a situation that may never
transpife. t-] 'ol Ar
QUESTION: NY two boys quar-
rel continuously: they never seem
happy unless ( they are finding
fault, indulging'in heavy sarcasm,
or in some way trying to humil-1
late each other. NY husband and
! have always hoped that the
boys would be chums; now this
looks like a very semote possibil
ity. We have tried punishment,
overlooking, scolding, but to no
effect. ANSWER: Children at a |
certain age live to create the eff
feet that wrangling produces up
on their peace-lovipg parents.
Often the most quarrelsome of
children optgrew this childish
trait. Diverting the boys inter
est to more interesting things
than wrangling is far better
way of dealing with this annoy-,l
ing situation than attacking it'll
which as you have dis.
covered, is worse than useless. l