Evening star., 1936-11-11
Generally
Reason for
Rebellion
Misunderstanding Of
ten Cause of Child's
Attitude.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

THAT'S the worst spoiled child in
the country. I wouldn't take
care of him another time if my life
depended upon it,"
why, Susan! What happened?"
"He thew himself on the floor, and
he howled and he kicked. thought
the neighbors would come in. Next
time get somebody else to stay with
him"
He never behaved like that before,
leastwise, not that know Of"
well, he did it with me and I
wouldn't go through what I've been
through with that child today for a
thousand dollars. That I wouldn't"
After Susan had gone her way. still
declaiming her determination to
Never, never, as long as she
lived" mother asked 7-year-old
Simon what had happened between
him and Susan that afternoon.
"She wanted me to take a nap after
lunch. I told her that never took
a nap after lunch, and she said, Yes
did. said, No, didn't. She could
ask anybody; and she said she wasn't
asking anybody; she was telling me.
II told her that would lie down
on the couch and keep quiet a half
an hour if she let me watch the clock,
and she said that would not be taking
a nap, and wouldn't let me. Then we
had fight"
II wonder what made Susan think
you took nap after lunch? I wrote
your schedule on card for her"
She said 1t was on the card. That's
why she wanted to make me 60 to
bed She said you said So"
Mother got the card and there,
after lunch" was written take,
but what was to be taken was illegible
It might be taken for nap" or any
thing else But certainly the first
letter looked like an n
"Oh. dear I just jotted down take
your medicine I meant to tell Susan.
scrubbed it. And that is what made
all this trouble?"
She wanted to make me go to bed
at half past l and I wouldn't That's
all And hope she never comes here
again"
1t was all a mistake. Susan had
done her best to follow instructions.
Simon has done his best to maintain
his rights. Susan, however, was per-
suaded that Simon was a thoroughly
bad boy and wanted none of him from
that day forward, although the scrib-
bled words had been explained. Even
if he didn't want to take nap he
should have done what bid him.
Many a child goes into tantrum
In despair of maintaining his rights
in the face of mistaken judgment
The grown person does not under
stand why the child is behaving sc
badly. They both think they are
right. 1t is for the grown persons to
stop and ask, What did I do to bring
this child to this state of mind?" A
cautious probing of the rebels mind
may disclose the secret. Maybe it will
disclose nothing. In any case. wait.
Rebellion never breaks out without
o reason, which, to the child, is a
sound and just cause for fighting.
Wait until you can get some hint of
the cause before you try to squelch
the rebellion. 1t is usually mistaken
attitude on one side or the other and
can be adjusted. Wait little.
Mr.. Patri has prepared a special
booklet mo. BOD entitled, "Obe-
dience," in which he tells parents how
to cope with the difficult problems OF
disobedience. Send for it, inclosing
10 cents and Scent stamp. Ad-
dress your request to Mr.. Angelo Patri,
The Bell Library, 247 West Forty
third Street, New York, N. Y.
(Copyright. 1861