Evening star., 1936-10-13
Do Not Vent
Temper on
Oh i | d r e n
Outbursts Can Affect
Youngsters Entire
Well-Being.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

MANY. things are wrong in the
NA world today. Children must he
housed and fed and clothed, but the
means of doing so are wanting, or
reduced beyond reasonable limits.
Fathers are distressed and mothers
driven to the verge Of histeria by the
pressure Of living. They cannot see
how they are to meet their obliga-
tions, and their nerves are tense. Un-
less this tension is released in some
harmless fashion it will be released
in deplorable ways. One Of them Is
bad temper vented upon the children.
That is unfair, cruel. Fathers and
mothers should try to check it.
The children do not know about
the troubles that set their people on
edge. The few hints they. get dis
turb, but do not enlighten them.
Even were they told that there was no
money to pay for clothes, or that the
interest on the mortgage could not be
paid. they would have but a vague
understanding of the condition. They
would sum it up in, Ma feels bad"
When Ma or Dad flies into temper.
strikes the children, throws things
about, shouts and stamps in tantrums
of rage, the children are hurt and
frightened. They suffer, and they do
not know why.
This does two things to children.
1t makes them fear their parents and
shun their homes. When children
lose faith in their people they lose
their strongest hold on the good life.
After that they are loose, drifting
about in search Of something or some
body to hold to, and often they find
the wrong people and the wrong
things. When they Shun their homes
they have no safe place to 60. Only
undesirable places open their doors
to them. The very thing that parents
feared most, hurt to their children.
has come upon them and by their own
mistaken behavior. Bad temper must
be shunted of at all costs.
When you feel it coming stop work
and 60 out in search of some interest
that will draw OF the troubled
thoughts that are causing tension.
Say your prayers and keep saying
them until your mind and heart are
relieved. Call on q cheerful and un-
derstanding friend, one who won't tell
you. all her woes and inquire about
your own, one who can laugh and chat
about impersonal happy things. One
man know goes window shopping
and counts all the things he does not
want and would not take as . gift.
That always sets him to laughing and
he returns cheerful and in better
heart.
Have q good book handy. There
are little books that record a thought
for each day. Some of them are more
than helpful. Start the day with one
Of them. Don't keep on grinding at
your task when you feel overburdened.
Drop it. Go to the movies and laugh.
Go for a walk. If there is ZOO go
and watch the animals there and
learn to be calm with the camels.
Keep hoping. The delightful thing
about life Is its unexpectedness. You
never can tell what interesting thing
is coming toward you on the wings
| Of the next minute.
Whatever happens, don't vent tenn
per on children. They are not to
blame for our troubles. They would
help II they could. Don't pile up
unhappy memories for them, but set
them an example of cheerful per-
sistence in the face Of sore trouble.
We will all come through In good
time.
(Copyrisht, 1861