The child who is not ordinarily strong enough to assert himself effectively will work himself up into a passion in order to gain strength, much as men sometimes stimulate their courage by liquor.  In fact, passion is a sort of moral intoxication.

[Sidenote:  Remedy—­Solitude and Quiet]

But whether the fits of passion are physical or moral, the immediate remedy is the same—­his environment must be promptly changed and his audience removed.  He needs solitude and quiet.  This does not mean shutting him into a closet, but leaving him alone in a quiet room, with plenty of pleasant things about.  This gives an opportunity for the disturbed organism to right itself, and for the will to recover its normal tone.  Some occupation should be at hand—­blocks or other toys, if he is too young to read; a good book or two, such as Miss Alcott’s “Little Men” and “Little Women,” when he is old enough to read.

If he is destructive in his passion, he must be put in a room where there are very few breakables to tempt him.  If he does break anything he must be required to help mend it again.  To shout a threat to this effect through the door when the storm of temper is still on, is only to goad him into fresh acts of rebellion.  Let him alone while he is in this temporarily insane state, and later, when he is sorry and wants to be good, help him to repair the mischief he has wrought.  It is as foolish to argue with or to threaten the child in this state as it would be were he a patient in a lunatic asylum.

It is sometimes impossible to get an older child to go into retreat.  Then, since he cannot be carried, and he is not open to remonstrance or commands, go out of the room yourself and leave him alone there.  At any cost, loneliness and quiet must be brought to bear upon him.

Such outbursts are exceedingly exhausting, using up in a few minutes as much energy as would suffice for many days of ordinary activity.  After the attack the child needs rest, even sleep, and usually seeks it himself.  The desire should be encouraged.

[Sidenote:  Precautions to be Taken]

Every reasonable precaution should be taken against the recurrence of the attacks, for every lapse into this excited state makes him more certain the next lapse and weakens the nervous control.  This does not mean that you should give up any necessary or right regulations for fear of the child’s temper.  If the child sees that you do this, he will on occasion deliberately work himself up into a passion in order to get his own way.  But while you do not relax any just regulations, you may safely help him to meet them.  Give him warning.  For instance, do not spring any disagreeable commands upon him.  Have his duties as systematized as possible so that he may know what to expect; and do not under any circumstances nag him nor allow other children to tease him.

SULLENNESS.