“THE CHILD IN A TEMPER”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17453, 30 December 1930, Page 5

“THE CHILD IN A TEMPER”

A DOCTOR’S PLEA PROPER TRAINING NEEDED “The Child in n Temper” was the subject taken by Dr. Guy Springtliorpe, addressing a meeting of I lie Victorian Council of Mental Hygiene at the Melbourne University. Temper in young children, said Dr. Springthorpe, is a quite normal function, but this emotion should bo checked and regulated. The proper training of the child to achieve this result is by development of the reasoning faculties. Anger is the emotional sub-strata on which the symptoms of temper are built. Fundamentally the use of anger in animal life is twofold. The hostile ..attitude puts fear in the opponent, and the animal’s own instinctive reaction under the emotion is to light. The emotion is primitive, and in man is a distinct evolution from previous ages. In man the emotion is qualified by reasoning powers. ,Screams of children are temper which may he defined, said Dr. Springthorpe, as an irrational and futile response to anger. The biological state of anger in young children is natural. We cannot do away with anger, but when properly controlled it is an asset.

Food and comfort are the chief factors cans mg temper in infants, and one of their great needs is peace and quiet. At this early age the causes of anger should be removed as far as possible, and crying fits should be ignored. There is, however, a great difference between crying for temper and through fear or pain, which must be distinguished. Some children cry for the pleasure of being handled, and (he foundation of a temper . habit in life is frequently due to the ignorance of mol her and nurse in the first year. Rostra ini is an important cause ol anger, and too much is harmful. .Inconsistency' on the part ol the meillor must he avoided, Ridicule, deprivation of treasured pm-ressions and Disks which are 100 hard are frequent causes The"healthy child, said the lecturer, must be an active child, but excessive fatigue causes bad temper. Gomel lines I he "child finds that by means of DmI rules it can achieve an object. This sort of thing must be stopped iinrn ed hit civ for the future good of the child. . ~ In conclusion, Dr. Springthorpe said temper should ho, punished as lilllo as possible, as corporal correction did little good. Removal of the cause and ignoring the outbursts is the best course. Suitable occupation and companionship of other children aio tie best preventives.