Freud_Burlingham_1943_War_and_Children_k_text

some patient and careful work tomothers to adopt this point of view.influence theOctober—November 1941PARENT UNDERSTANDINGFrom rash and inconsiderate actions of somemothers, it would be very wrong to generaliseand suppose that these untaught mothers haven'tunderstanding of their children's needs or arenot appreciative also of the more subtle andcomplicated methods of dealing with theirchildren. We find that the mother's own diagnosisof the child's state isvery often correct.Iris's mother for instance suggested from thebeginning that the child's attacks of nervouscoughing might have something to do with herfather's incessant coughing in the year beforehis death. David's mother always knew thathis bed wetting and general state of restlessnesswere due toher own attacks of anxiety duringair raids. Patrick's mother who showed greatconcern and understanding about his normalstate whenever he was separated from her, askedus later to take her elder girl who had developedan overly timid and frightened mannerin her billet, where she was excellently wellcared for in all material ways. She said itcould not be good for a child to lose all con-142