The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-02-12
|RPY0UR CHILDREN
Dy OIws Roberts Hsrton
esss M Nez se6NcS, s<

Why the cry-baby?
 Be very,Hery sorry for him what ever he Is or wherever he is. But don't show it. ,s
 Too many people lay 1t to tenn per. It isn't any such thing, al- though tears in children are often a demonstration of rage.
 It is more commonly an exagger- ated emotional attitude toward self. Yes. it is selfish almost entirely. but in q different way than we usually regard selhshness.
 Usually the cry-baby hates him. self. He hates the tears that well up and overflow but that insist on coming in spite of him. And be- ing sensitive about his tears he becomes still more miserable.
 Almost everyone of us, unless we are the hardest extroverts, IS al heart a cry-baby. Self pity Is as natural as breathing. In time We learn different ways of relieving our feelings. We learn diikerent methods of saving our faces even to ourselves.
 Hide Fact from Self The last thing we admit is our | feeling of self pity. We don't lei on even to ourselves when We arc nervous or cranky, terribly "tlTed' all the time, or are drowning sor- rows in drink that we are so sorry for ourselves we cant stand 1t. We seek "escapes" of various kinds, which is another name for alibis. Just cry babies. That's all. We can't take 1t. We can't face life. We find people and living too much for us. Some of it is justifiable-- much of 1t is not.
 So do not think you have q curiosity in your cry-baby, mother. You will know if he cries good healthy yell when he can't have a doughnut, or can't go out to- play when it's bedtime. That is disap- pointment putting up a protest. 1; is different from the tears of self pity that well up at 8 word and exaggerate hurt feeling,
 DO not let anyone make fun of that child. Never call his own at- tention to 1t. He will only suffer more, and it does no good. Above all do not scold him.
 Keep HaDltS lteSui0r
 Try to keep him as regular h his habits as possible. Try to keep great settlements out of his life. Keep him physically built up. See that he is busy with happy play. Outdoor air and plenty of exercise is great medicine. Keep home troubles away from him. Treat him or her as you treat the other children. Don't baby him or cod dle him or pick him out for special betting or sympathiZing.
 If he cries over some small mat ter that looks unimportant to you, such as q broken garter, quietly fix 1t without comment. You can make some small concessions to his moods because things are so important to him.
 He'may turn out to be the finest member of the family. And prob- ably will. People who suffer so in themselves nearly always have q fine intuition about life. These in- troverts produce humanitarians, artists, scientists and students. They have superfined imagina- tion, the father of initiative.
 The cry-baby needs much en- couragement. He thrives better under 1t. He seldom has any too much confidence in himself. Praise helps, although 1t is hard to con- vince him.
 If he is constantly mishandled he may build up a defence and turn bully to protect himself. He would rather be thought tough than weak. This Is why the bully if often affectionate to those who understand him. The chronic cricr is killed with .inferority. To en- courage his self respect is i'm portant.
 Copyright 1895, NEA Service, Inc.