PEDIATRICS Vol. 1 No. 6 June 1948, pp. 725-732
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ON THE SUBJECT OF ORDERLY OR LAWFUL BEHAVIOR

C. ANDERSON ALDRICH M.D.1

1 The Section on Pediatrics, Mayo Clinic, and Rochester Child Health Institute.

The problem of orderly and lawful behavior in young children has been faced realistically. It has been pointed out that infants and young children are influenced by two sets of codes: one, those prescribed by civilized man, and the other by their own inherent growth impulses. The characteristics of the two codes were mentioned, pointing out that the former were of recent origin, extremely variable in different geographic, cultural and even medical situations, and were imposed from without; and that the latter were of extreme antiquity, were on the whole consistent in every social set-up, and exerted their force from within the individual.

It was shown that when the two systems regulating child behavior conflict, it is necessary either to train the child to ignore his growth urges in an effort to conform to social dictates or to modify these requirements. The growth demands cannot be changed. The methods by which a child can be made to conform are by persuasion, including example and guidance, or by corporal punishment, neither of which is a perfect method.

Illustrations of many aspects of behavior in the young child in which conflict commonly is found were cited to give some idea of in how many respects young children may be confused or frustrated with resulting unapproved behavior. It was emphasized that much of this might be prevented by relatively unimportant changes in the man-made codes.

It should be emphasized again that the whole purpose of this discussion is to make conformity to our laws possible and to insist that no child today can grow up doing entirely as he pleases. The adjustments called for are often merely those of timing, of demanding conformity at a later, more reasonable developmental stage.

Submitted on April 24, 1948




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