Anger May be Helpful 17 



hold it ? Suppose again he should cry for the return 

 of his own plaything which some one unjustly snatched 

 from him. Would you return his plaything to stop 

 his crying, or let him cry it out? Now, here is im- 

 plied the correct answer in dealing with the outburst 

 of anger in the infant. It is all a matter of justice 

 and fairness. If some agency, human or otherwise, 

 snatches his food from his mouth, and the child 

 squalls for its return, indulge the infant at once. 

 If he has been well fed, comfortably clad and bathed, 

 and under every proper consideration should lie 

 still and behave himself, then do not run and take 

 him up because he happens to be trying your patience 

 with his squalling. Hold him to it and let him bawl 

 it out. There is really nothing better coming to him 

 if you are thinking of the development of his char- 

 acter and your own. 



6. So, somewhat later on you will find this same 

 instinct of anger showing itself in the various forms 

 of fighting and quarreling. The parent who under- 

 stands the true natures of healthy children will not 

 worry for a moment because the children show natural 

 dispositions for contention and combativeness. On 

 the other hand, it will be understood that these very 

 tendencies furnish the occasion of many a lesson in 

 social ethics. How can the child ever learn to be 

 just and fair to his mates or square and considerate 

 in his dealings with adults unless it be through the 

 give-and-take experiences that come from attempt- 



