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Show Tour Baby . , Watch Baby's Habits for Nervousness By MYRTLE MEYER n nRED Our free leaflet on "Nervous Habits" may be had by sending a 3-cent stamped, self-addressed envelope with your letter let-ter to Mrs. Eldred of the your baby and mine department in care of The Salt Lake Telegram. When a parent Is able to enlist the child's aid in overcoming a bad habit, she Is able to accomplish accom-plish something. She cannot do this If she Infuriates and antagonizes antago-nizes the child by punishment. "My 3-year-old has a bad habit which worries me greatly," writes Mrs. C F. "She sucks her tongue and at the same time pulls her hair. I don't know what Is best to do In order to correct this. I have slapped her hands when she pulled her hair and have told her how terrible it looks. I have threatened to put something on her tongue, not knowing whether It would be best or not. But she doesn't seem to get any better. "I have noticed that when she Is especially tired she will lie down and tuck her tongue and pull her hair. It may be nerves, but I have never noticed that she was nervous." This habit Is similar to a long list of habits designed to give the child a mild sensory satisfaction. It belongs in the same category as thumb or Hp sucking and head, bumping. All of them are Indulged In-dulged in when the child Is tired or cross because of an inability to contend successfully with the conflicts of her small world. So the child withdraws from the world and gives herself up to a habit that, through repetition, has become satisfying and calming. Punishment does not end such habits; It Increases the child's attention at-tention to them and also makes her aware In what particular ways she can annoy and "punish" you. |