Evening star., 1938-11-14
Too Little Pettinq
Spoi|s Children,
Specialist Says
Research Society's
Views Divided
On Opinion
BY THOMAS r. HENRY,
Star Stan Correspondent.

specialists, threw psychologists and
pediatricians attending the meeting
of the Society for Research in Child
Development, branch of the Ma
tional Research Council. into sharp
ly divided camps here yesterday.
The contrary viewpoint was ex-
pressed forcefully by DR.. William E
Blatz, child training specialist of
the University of Toronto, when he
Dionne quintuplets away from their
mother and declared: Mother love
is no more necessary than an elec-
trio ice box"
DR.. Aldrich, speaking from a life
time Of experience with infants, in
sisted that the present practice of
keeping newborn children away
from their mothers during the first
weeks after birth in hospital was
very questionable. Now babies usu-
ally are brought to their mothers
only for half hour four times a
day for nursing, or perhaps not at
all II they are bottle babies" This
Is because the infants are much
safer from infection in the steril-
lied quarters where they are kept
most of the time
Germs From Visitors a Danger.
Fondling by the mother, DR.. AL
drich said, is almost as great a
necessity for the baby as milk and
when it is deprived of this 1t may
develop bad behavior characteristics
which will persist through life.
Other child specialists stressed, how
ever, that for the first few weeks
after birth baby sleeps most of
the time when it is not nursing.
They saw no necessity, they said,
for a mother merely watching her
child sleep, even if the "fondllng
hypothesis is correct.
One danger is that visitors to the
mother may bring germs into the
room. If the situation is explained
to her, Dr. Aldrich said, she usually
will be willing to remain without
visitors for the sake of her child.
He insisted, however, that each case
should be considered on its own
merits and that he was not stick
Ing his neck out by advocating a
complete change In hospital prac-
tice which has become universal.
For some years now child psy-
biologists have insisted that spoiled
children result when everybody
waits on them and the slightest cry
will bring instant attention. Thus
they get the idea early that the way
to get things is to cry for them or
have temper tantrums. Eventually,
1t is claimed, this habit system be-
comes fixed and the children grow
up into whining, complaining men
and women.
DR.. Aldrich insisted that this
theory is hind-end-to. He has seen
few spoiled children, he said, who
seemed to have been given too much
mother love. There are, he insisted
certain things from which an in
fant instinctively secures gratifica-
ton. At first these qualifications
are subconscious because the childs
nervous system is not developed at
the conscious level. But as the varl-
Gus impulses are gratified they are
built into" the conscious structure
of experience, the child is satisfied
with its accomplishment, and goes
on to build up behavior patterns on
a higher level. One of these needs
he said, is for the comfort that
comes from mothers careses.
Crying Becomes Habit.
II these qualifications are not at
tanned, he insisted, the child. either
consciously or subconsciously, turns
to other means to get them. The
most obvious of these means is cry
ing. This also is built into a habit
system.
One of the great difficulties, DR.
Aldrich insisted, is that there has
grown up a pattern of child train
ing and of behavior to which all
children are supposed to conform
Thus pediatrists have spread the ides
among mothers that baby should
not walk or talk before certain age
and that if he does not do SO wher
this time is reached, something Is
wrong. AS result, child who
toddles early is apt to be pushed
down for fear it will develop crooked
legs or something of the sort.
OF such things, DR.. Aldrich insist
ed, the infant itself is probably the
best Judge. Human beings seem
to develop, he said, according to ar
individual rhythm which may vary
widely between different children
When an arbitrary pattern of con-
forming to the average is forced or
them, their normal qualifications
are frustrated, they turn back into
themselves, become complaining
and refractory and have gotten of
to a bad start in life.
School Marks Discussed.
DR.. Aldrich did not urge, hi
stressed, abolition of discipline fol
children. 1t should be directed
however, along lines conforming te
the rythm Of the individual. He ha.
seen many children squirt ahead very
rapidly, he said, once lot Of arti-
fetal restrictions imposed by parents
or teachers are removed. Once
habit patterns are built up. he ex.
planned, it is very difficult to breaH
them. II the background Is under
stood, he insisted, it can be done
even during adolescence when the
character and personality are fairly
well hardened into the mould which
1t will follow through life.
A practical implication, he said
Is in the matter of marks in school
Parents learn about normal intel
hgence." ETC., and If their children
do not get report cards with lol
Of "As" they feel as If they were
bringing up morons. Consequently
they are constantly lecturing them
on bringing home more good marks
Very likely the children come home
with "Ds."
If this attitude is reversed, he
said, and the children told that the
parents do not care what mark.
they get they often will start bring.
ing home perfect report cards.