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From: mark@umcp-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: Temper Tantrums
Message-ID: <7328@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 2-Jun-84 02:16:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.7328
Posted: Sat Jun  2 02:16:05 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 5-Jun-84 07:54:02 EDT
References: <810@trwrb.UUCP>
Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Computer Science Dept.
Lines: 21

We take the attitude that when our children are attempting to get
attention there is a good reason for it.  Ignoring such attempts
(in our opinion) leads to a feeling in the child (and later adult)
that he or she is not worth listening to, and perhaps even not worthy.

Don't be afraid of listening to a tantrum, and telling your child
all through the screaming that you love them.  It will feel hard
to you, because probably no one listened to your tantrums.  But
by sticking it out, the following good things happen: your
child gets good exercise, your child knows you will stick by
them and that your love is not conditional on certain behaviors
but unconditional (I think this last is important but perhaps others
disagree), you get to practice patience, you get to spend time with
your child (it may not seen fun to you, but the reading "Peter Rabbit"
the 10th in one day isn't much fun either.  Your child likes it.)

Listening to a tantrum is not encouraging more of them, in my 
experience with this method on two daughters, one now 2 and one now 6.
-- 
Spoken: Mark Weiser 	ARPA:	mark@maryland
CSNet:	mark@umcp-cs 	UUCP:	{seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!mark