Evening star., 1937-06-21
Spicy Pickles Hold Deserved Popularity Almost Everv Hme0
Release
Pent-Up
E. n e.rgy
Poor Practice to Send
Child to Bed for
Punishment.
BY ANGELO PATRI,

BY ANGELO PATRI.
YET him to bed and keep him
there for few days until We
ban be certain about him. He will
be far better OF in bed"
mo. no. Dr.. Phillip. I don't want
10 60 to bed. I didn't do anything.
don't want to 90 to bed"
20. yes you do son. You'll feel
better in bed. That ache in your
legs will soon 60 away when you lie
In your nice warm bed and rest.
Beds the best place when you don't
feel so good"
II don't want to 60 to bed. I hate
going to bed. It's too lonesome"
You can have picture books. for
b short time anyway. Then you'll
60 to sleep and when you wake up
you'll be very much better"
Il won't feel better II I have to
60 to bed. want to lie on the couch.
and sit in the big chair. I don't want
to go to bed until it is night"
The sick child was fighting to stay
being sent to bed as a punishment.
If he made too much noise-on to
bed II he was naughty-on to bed
II somebody complained about him
10 bed he went.
AT least We can have some peace
while he Is there. And I know where
he is" his mother said.
1t is not good practice. Chill
hren should know bed as the pleas
ant place to which they go when
4hey are tired, or sick, and in need
of rest and peace. 1t is mistake to
make q child's associations with his
bed so unpleasant as to cause him to
dislike going there. 1t is far better
to say, Your nice bed Is waiting for
you. You'll feel much better after
you have rested there little while"
than to say, you're nuisance. The
whole family is upset by your con-
tinual whining. Go to bed and stay
there until give you permission to
get up again" The child may dislike
going In either case, but the thought
that his mother wanted to give him
help and comfort will make the going
easier than the thought OF punish
ment will make it.
Healthy children are active. Ac-
tive children are usually healthy and
happy. 1t is wrong to send an active,
healthy child to bed in the daytime
because 1t means a check on activity.
and the consequent misery of body
and mind. Instead Of helping the
child as proper punishment ought to
do, it makes his condition worse. His
body needs to discharge energy. It
is likely that the trouble he got into
was caused by his inability to dis
charge 1t fast enough through proper
channels. Lying in bed only dams
up the energy, increases its pressure,
creates rebellion and sets the stage
for disobedience. The pent-up energy
must be released even II the child
has to find another and a worse
method Of releasing than before.
If child is pouting about the
house and shouting and slamming
things, laughing too loud. doing every
thing too much, the remedy Is not
bed. but release in the open air. Send
him out with permission to shout and
stamp until he exhausts himself. II
he is rebellious and cranky, divert
him, Wash his face and arms, to the
elbows. with warm water and soothing
soap. Pat him dry, talking gently
to him all the time. Give him a glass
of warm milk and a cracker. Tell
him story. Rest him without his
knowing it.
When 1T Is bed time, send him
TO bed, but keep him out OF bed for
the length OF his day, unless he Is
sick. Then make his bed haven Of
refuge.
Mr.. Patri has prepared . leafiet
entitled. Changing Habits" in which
he tells parents how to overcome a
childs unpleasant habits. Send for
1t, addressing your request to Mr..
Angelo Patri, Child Psychology De-
partment OF this paper. Enclose a
self-addressed, stamped (s-cenD en-
velope.
tcopyright, 1879