Freud_Burlingham_1943_War_and_Children_k_text

Ronny, seven years old, who takes very littlecare of her clothes otherwise,looks at a littleskirt made for her by her mother and says: "Iwon't wear it to school. Only for best."This transference of affection from the parentsto their presents can sometimes go quitebeyond the limits of normal reactions. Bertie,four years old, for instance who has never overcomethe shock of separation from his mother,a bad case of hospitalized Tb. and from hisfather who is a sailor on the ocean, has developeda craze for parcels, since parcels are theone connecting link between him and his absentmother. He does not care about the contents;he just demands that all his old toys be wrappedup as parcels and given to him to open. As soonas he has opened them he wants them wrappedup again. His continual and never satisfied wishto return to his mother cannot express itself inwords. It has disappeared from consciousnessand instead expresses itself in this compulsivewish to open parcels.January—March 1942ARTIFICIAL FAMILIESWe have recently adopted a new arrangementof work with our nursery children inNetherhall Gardens which influences their life156