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Show Parents' Problems B P0NALD R MAD Mv son is eight years old, 5 strong and healthy. My problem is that he will not defend himself. He runs away from a fight. For instance, one of the boys on the block took his baseball and ran home with it. I told my son to go get it and his reply was "no," that the boy would beat him up. He has only an older sister, but his daddy is willing to try to help solve this problem. It is unfortunate, of course, that your son runs away from a fight, especially if his running away is an indication of fear which I judge you feel it is. If he refuses re-fuses to fight because he feels there are more intelligent ways of settling disputes, he is to be commended. com-mended. This does not seem to be the case, however. It should be remembered that children vary considerably in their liking of and readiness for a fight i,when confronted With a -( in which a fight may bo Bv tio Your son evidently drw tei physical combat and thZ1- likf much that you can do t Is n,t that situation. t0 change To heap ridicule or sham, him will only increase his Tj ity and make him ev n loath to fight. You can 1 niot him to defend Wmf and give him approval wh does so; ,h.s father may hlk he teaches him how to box " It is especially important ti he should have ample op,! at ties to play with boys of W n'' age and size. In the Ife tumble of such play, he ' learn how to defend himself pecially if you encourage hi,,,? do so. s 111111 to If he spend most of his ti, playing with his sister, or pia ing by himself, it is not strange that he should shrink from fight, especially if the outcome of the fight is somewhat in doubt |