Evening star., 1941-04-23
Normal Baby
Joyful
Signs of Irritability
Often Indications
Of Poor Health
By Leftice Lee Street,

The word babyhood should spell
the happiness that is every little
childs right. 1t should mean care
free play, frolic in the bathtub
and bubbling laughter, with blissful,
dreamless sleep to follow.
But it means a great deal more
than this to the baby's mother; it
means work, and worry, and Won
dering, too. AS her baby romps be-
fore her the wise mother notes the
changes in him from day to day,
and any sudden change that occurs
demands her instant attention.
If a usually sunny-natured child
become suddenly listless, fretful and
whining, his mother should cock an
inquisitive mental eye toward the
causes of irritability in children.
Something is very apt to be physi-
cally wrong with the surly child.
1t is true that some of US are more
quiet and serious by nature than
others, and we all have our blue
DAYS.
Babies are the same, but if these
periods of depression and crossness
persist, something is pretty certain
to be wrong Babies are not nat
urally disagreeable, and any i'll
humor is brought to them from out
side influences, such as cruel or
harsh treatment or bodily upset.
A child will almost invariably be
fretful just before developing an ILL
ness. So when a baby who is or
dinarily placid and happy turns
fussy it is a good idea to take his
temperature and watch his diet.
WEAKNESS can make the jolliest
baby turn away from his supper,
petulantly ignore the family or
games he generally dotes upon, or
indulge in seemingly ineXplicable
tantrums.
A child who has been made to
feel that he was the center of the
household when he was at the cute,
toddler age may easily develop a
surly disposition when he grows
older and finds that he is no longer
petted and fused over.
Jealousy will make a child droop
and NOPE, and neglect will so deeply
hurt child that the joyful light of
laughter will fade from his eyes.
Even though his bodily needs are
we'll attended, he can still suffer
from neglect is he is denied the
proper amount of attention, praise,
affection and encouragement that
every little child needs.
Loneliness will sometimes make a
child develop a sorrowful. inhibited
nature and the mother of the only
child should do all in her power to
provide him with a variety of in
terests and playmates.
The normal baby is not cross; he
will cooperate joyfully if his mother
will meet him half way. The small
everyday tasks should be fun, and
he should be allowed to take his
part in helping himself as soon as
he shows that he wants to.
Bath time should never be a hur-
ried, nervous experience for the
baby, but should be a time when
mother sings and laughs. when
games are played and the baby is
allowed to splash.
Let him struggle to put his arm
into his little sleeve if he wants to
when you are dressing him. He will
be cross, and quite rightly so. if he
is not allowed to carry out the ideas
he will develop for helping himself.
The baby's routine and his FAM
ily's care is all the life he knows.
If you want him to own a happy
nature you must be cheerful around
him and perform the small chores
of his day with a gay voice and a
smiling face.
Have you questions to ask con-
corning the care of your baby?
We suggest that you send for a