Freud_Burlingham_1943_War_and_Children_k_text

—of bombing makes itself heard in open countryeven more than in a city, all these Londonersgrownups and children alike—in spite of havinglived through the whole period of blitz,jumped out of their beds and had quite afright. Many of the very little children wereuntouched by the event. The elder childrenand the staff met in the hall and the corridorsand some of the children needed quite a lotof quieting. The children talked for quite awhile about the bombing before falling asleepagain. Some of them, like Pamela quickly regainedtheir good humour and were ready tojoke. One of them said that they should writeto Jimmy in London that he could come tothe country now, that there were bombs therealso and that he could do fire watching.One little girl said the next morning in reportingthe event: "But it was a kind German,he did not drop the bomb on our house".It is rather curious to think that this is theidea of kindness with which the children ofthis period will grow up.Modes ofBehaviourOne of last month's newcomers in the countryhouse, Bertram, three years and nine monthsold is at varying times distressed shy, cross,affectionate and violent. He had never beenseparated from his mother for the first two137