Freud_Burlingham_1943_War_and_Children_k_text

Peter, whom he had brought from home.Peter slept with him, ate with him, was inhis arms even when he was bathed and dressedand David insisted that Peter should be takencare of as if he were another child in theNursery.When his mother visited him after twodays, David had his first temper tantrum, akind of hysterical attack, in which he alternatelyembraced his mother, clung to her, kissedher, scolded her and hit out at her. He insistentlydemanded that she should kiss Peteron the mouth and hug him as if he were herbaby. From then on for quite a while he reactedwith temper to every imaginary insultdone to Peter. He would cry whenever anotherchild would knock against the toy andwould throw himself on the floor with despairwhenever the dog inadvertently fell out ofhis arms. Peter is evidently a symbol for himselfand has to be treated as he himself wantsto be treated. His mother was to make up inaffection to the dog for the wrong she had doneto David by sending him away from home. InDavid's case the difficulties caused by separationfrom his mother are hard to disentanglefrom the neurotic troubles he had certainly alreadyshown in his life with her.An example of the opposite kind is Sheila,three years and four months old, who entered134