The Danger of Suggestions
What do we mean by ‘dangerous ages’-danger to others’ or danger to the individual himself? In the case of childhood, we mean danger to both. Since the child is relatively unprotected, he is obviously prone to danger, and since the child is father of the man if things go wrong in childhood then all will not go well with the man, and this man in turn may be dangerous to others. We would all readily agree that an accident or disease occurring in youth may so maim or cripple that subject that in the adult life he will be for one reason or another unable to earn his livelihood. It is not so readily recognised, however, that damage to the mental processes of the child may have an even more devastating effect on the personality of the adult. Adults often seem to forget or fail to realize how extremely susceptible and imitative the young child is, and they are indirectly foolish in the suggestions they give to their own and other people’s children. Every young child wants to do what Daddy and Mummy do and if Daddy is arrogant, boastful and a bully, he must not be surprised if his small son exhibits the same qualities towards his little sister. While if Mummy is untruthful, sly, and tortuous in gaining her ends, she must not blame her daughter if she grows up to be selfish. Fear of the dark, of insects or mice or high places, all the minor phobias which plague the life of and restrict the activities of so many so-called normal men and women are probably the result of bad suggestions in early life. Likes and dislikes of various sorts of food is quite likely to suggest developing a similar distaste. The danger of suggestion lies in its power and lasting influence in these early years. It is our chief weapon in the training of the young child, but it is decidedly double-edged and so we must be careful how we use it.
