Evening star., 1937-08-30
Winter Pears Are Decacy All Too Unfamiliar Many
Avoiding
Tears at
Bedtime
Plenty of Exercise
and Child Will Go
Gladly.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

RDT1ME in some households is
time OF trial with tears and
howls and spankings and much wrath.
It should not be, but it Is, and some
thing has to be done about it.
First, set the time and hold to it
through convenient times and incon-
venient times. Don't say, 20 dear
six thirty-well-I'll just finish this
and then attend to him. A few
minutes won't matter" But they will
and they do. Once child discovers
that bedtime is not inevitable he will
overturn heaven and earth to push
1t as far away as possible. This is
one of the causes Of trouble at bed
time. Make bedtime inevitable and
It will be taken for granted the sooner.
Make bedtime a ritual. Do the
same thing at the same time and in
the same way every night. That
makes a rhythmical habit in the
childs mind and behavior. The habit
will carry him along and keep any
thought of avoiding bedtime, or Of
fighting it. out of his mind. Habit is
the economical way of behaving. Set
. good habit and make bedtime easier
Try to make bedtime pleasant. One
OF the best ways to do that is to have
. tired child. A tired child is always
glad to go to bed. Many Of our chill
dren do not get enough exercise during
the day to make them reasonably
tired. If they are still overfowing
with energy they cannot want to go to
bed. Nature has supplied them with
store Of energy to be used for
growth. II that is not used it forces
Its way and makes the child eager
and active and. of course, unwilling
to 90 to bed. See that child gets
enough hard exercise for his body
during the day and he will be glad
to go to bed.
Try to bring on bedtime mood.
That means quiet mind at peace
with the world. 1t means, too, no ex-
citement before bedtime II a child
must have a romp, or must listen to
an exciting radio program, do see that
the excitement is provided good hour
or so before bedtime so that there is
time for it to work itself off. An ex-
cited or a frightened or worried child
cannot go to bed happily or cheerfully
Cultivate a bedtime mood, one of
quiet peace.
Don't use bed as a punishment, for
that is likely to make child dislike
going to bed If going to bed is a
punishment, is there any sense in tell
Ing him at night that bed is lovely
place? Make it lovely place for
weary children. One mother always
says, Its time to get ready for your
nice bed and the little girl says,
my nice bed," and trots of to get
ready.
Let no element of fear enter into
bedtime. Let the child go to bed in
the full light. See that his clothes
are left ready to put on in the morn
ing, each garment ready and in place,
stockings and shoes set waiting 1t is
pleasant to look forward to a morning
half begun. Then help him say his
prayers.
I think 1t Is good plan to let a
child fall asleep with the thought of
an allwise, all-good God watching
over him and caring for him. Let his
prayer be one Of trust and love and so
let him fall asleep secure and serene
In the thought of rising in the morn
ing to another good day.
Mr.. Patri has prepared a leaflet
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. Inclose self
addressed, stamped (3-cen) envelope.
(Copyright, 1887