doubly needful for the
training of the nervous child; while more than fourfold persistence is
needed on the part of parents to make them really effective.

EMOTIONAL RUNAWAYS

Whether the child be two years of age or ten years of age, when the
parent discovers that the nervous system is "losing its head," that
the child is embarking on a nervous runaway, or that it is about to
indulge in an emotional sprawl, it is best to interfere suddenly and
spectacularly. Lay a firm hand on him and bring things to a sudden
stop. Speak to him calmly and deliberately, but firmly. Set him on a
chair, put him in the bed, or take him to a room and isolate him.

In the case of the older children, tell them a story of the horse
which becomes frightened, loses self-control, and tears off down the
highway, wrecking the vehicle and throwing out its occupants. Explain
to them that many of the mistakes of life are made during the times of
these emotional runaways, these passing spells of lost self-control.
Tell the little folks that you have perfect confidence in them if they
will only take time to stop and think before they talk or act. Explain
to them that since you saw that they were rapidly approaching a
foolish climax you thought it was your duty to call a halt, to stop
them long enough to enable them to collect their wits and indulge in
some sober thinking.

Personally, we have found it to be a good plan not to be too arbitrary
with the little folks, like putting them on a chair and saying, "You
must sit there one hour by the clock." They usually begin to indulge
in resentful thoughts and a situation is often produced akin to that
of the stern father who felt compelled to go back and thrash his boy
three different times during his hour on the chair, because of what he
was satisfied was going through the boy's mind. No, that is not
usually the best way. Put them on the chair with an indeterminate
sentence. I prefer to carry it out something like this: "Now, son,
this will never do; you are running away with yourself. Stop for a
moment and think. Now I am going to ask you to sit down in that chair
there and think this over quietly. I will be in the next room.
Whenever you think you have got control of yourself and have thought
this thing out so you can talk with me, you may get up from the chair
and come into the room to me." Sometimes five minutes, sometimes
fifteen minutes, and the little fellow will walk in and talk to you in
a ve