OUR BABIES

Hawera Star, Volume L, 25 October 1930, Page 14

OUR BABIES

By Hygela.

Publisnod uniter the auspices of tho Royal New Zealand Society for tlio Health of Women and Children (Phvnkct Society).

THE CHARACTERISTICS O! M ENT A E II EA ETII.

The following summary is the conclusion of our extracts from Dr. Arnold Own'll'* paper on mental hygiene: — ‘•'What. then, are the mental health characteristics of the young child!? In snmmuiw they are as follows: ‘l. 'Wholesome habits of eating .and sleeping, of relaxation, and of elimination. These are often regarded as ‘purely physical' matters. Actually, they are of'basic, psychological importance. They are ways of living; they require a proper organisation of the rorvous system. The child, who- is not well trained in these everyday habits has not learned even the first letters of the alphabet of nervous or mental health. 2. Wholesome habits of fooling. Here again wo deal! with the organisation of the ■nervous sys’ern. Mental hygiene is much concerned with, the organisation of the emotional life. ITanpdy, the feeling's resc:;.;d to training, ft is ali wrong’ to ‘think 'that temper tantrums, morbid fears, timidly, jealousy, sensitiveness, suspiciousness, pud other unhealthy mental states are beyond ecu ti 01.

“Tho thoroughly normal child has positive emotional habi t nations which make for good nature, for sociability, for self-control, and even a. measure of sempathy and eo-operativo’ne'ss. Consistent training and a favourable home atmosphere bring him under the .spell of socialised goodwill. Through praise rather than scalding, through encouragement rather than domination, through happiness rather than failure, he acquires an oleinentary optimistic philosophy of life. He acquires also a sense of security which is very important for his health of mind. “In this way he may ails oaequire a philosophic sense of humour, which can be set down as one of the prime essentials of lyormal mental health. This sense of humour will serve him well, even as a child, and still more as an adult.

“3. Healthy attitudes of action. Self-reliance is ai cardinal virtue in the code of mental health. • Growing up in the phychological sense means attaining sufficient, stamina to meet the demands of lifo squarely on one's own resources. It is a steady process of detachment —first- from the apron strings, later from the home itself. “Just as the grown up soldier needs morale to stand the tost of battle, so the young child needs a. kind of selfreliance which will enable him to meet the realities and discomforts of life. The ability to see reality is, of course, a mark of mental health. Therefore, the wise parent from the beginning build's fibre as well as happiness .into the child's mind. “Normality of mind can therefore bo formula ted in terms of: —

(1) Wholesome personal! habits of 1 i vi ng. (2) Wholesome habits of feeling, and

(3) Healthy attitudes.-of action

Although these arc broad specifications, it is apparent that they may be made very concrete in actual application. The goal of mental hygiene ceases to be nebulous when, we make a genuine attempt to realise it in terms of child: guidance and parent guidance.” a t