“DIFFICULT” CHILDREN

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28700, 25 September 1958, Page 14

“DIFFICULT” CHILDREN

Adolescents 9 Attitudes

“Tolerance, understanding, an assurance of long-term relationships, and above all, a sense of security, will go a long way towards solving the problems caused by difficult adolescents,” said Miss E. Bailey, tutor in child development in the Department of Adult Education, at the meeting of the Canterbury Federation of ParentTeacher Associations last evening.

All “difficult” adolescents were extremists. said Miss Bailey. Some were shut-in and unapproachable, others irrational in that they made unreasonable demands on their parents. Others simply failed to grow up. Although some delinquent or semidelinquent children were troublesome and wantonly destructive, others who were too good and too quiet were just as much of a problem, as both these attitudes were basically unhealthy. Causes of irrational behaviour in adolescents could be found in the past histories of these children as well as in the normal crises which adolescents had to face. Any emotional crisis, sucn as leaving school, a death in the family, or beginning a new job could cause an emotional climax which could be the direct cause of delinquent behaviour. Parents and teachers had a great responsibility in moulding the personality of young persons, said Miss Bailey. Too often the feeling of not being understood and that the whole world was against them was the direct cause of irrational behaviour. Conscientious Parent Parents who were conscientious could be the cause of delinquent behaviour in their children as easily as those who were lax in their standards, and who failed to give their children moral leadership. Children had to be given scope to develop their personality and talents, without undue interference from parents or teachers.

Although it was self-evident that a bad start in life could set a child back consideraby, said Miss Bailey, research and experiments have proved that even this obstacle could be overcome. Modern psychiatric treatment was the answer to many of these “problem children’s” difficulties. Discipline, tolerance, expert help, and diagnosis of the problem, which cotfid in some cases reveal some underlying physical cause, as well as patience during the period of the regrowth of the personality, were all necessary parts of “unwinding” the problems . of the difficult adolescent. Co-operation between parents, teachers and employers was necessary. The assurance of lasting relationships, courage and honesty on the part of adults who sometimes had to admit that their behaviour was the cause of delinquent behaviour, as well as expert advice and treatment, would solve the problem of the delinquent child.