nfinished pursuits, resistance and tears are almost sure to follow,
and the difficult task of the day--the putting to bed--has made the
worst possible start. When this has happened on one or two successive
evenings, the habit of resistance to going to bed becomes fixed, and,
like all bad habits, is difficult to break. A nurse who has a way with
children will arouse his interest in a new pursuit, in which he can
play the chief part, the putting away of his picture books and toys.
If he is too small to carry his own chair or table to its allotted
place in the room, at least he can show his learning by pointing out
the spot. In the waving of good-byes he is expert and takes a
legitimate pride, and upstairs he has learnt that there are new
delights. He himself can turn on the taps in the bathroom, and he can
set every article in the proper place ready for use. All children love
their bath, and if interest and good temper has been so far preserved,
without a break, it will be ill-fortune if even the drying process is
not carried off without a hitch. Afterwards, for a little, nervous
babies, whose brains still teem with all the excitements of the day,
are best left to sit for a few moments by the nursery fire, while the
nurse puts all the garments one by one to bed. Each as it goes to rest
will be greeted by him with cheerful farewells; and so does the force
of suggestion act, till the central figure himself plays his part in
the scene, of which he feels himself the controller and director, and
climbs to bed. But if there has been a hitch anywhere, if the bugbear
of negativism has appeared, if he has been scolded or coaxed or
repressed too much and there have been tears and struggles, then going
to bed is a poor preparation for instant and quiet sleep.

With excitable, highly-strung children, the best laid plans and the
most tactful nurse will not always succeed, and to place him in his
cot is to provoke a storm of angry refusal and resistance. There are
mothers who believe that the best way is then to turn out the light
and leave the child to cry himself to sleep. This is a point on which
no one can lay down rules which are applicable for all children. It
may sometimes succeed, and the child may reason correctly and in the
way we wish him to reason, deciding that the game is not worth the
candle and so give it up. But with nervous, highly-strung children I
doubt if this Spartan conduct is commonly successful. Often if the
at