ABSTRACT
Whenever an attempt is made to state the basic needs of infants and children, we hear the words ‘what children need is security’. Sometimes we may feel this is sensible and at other times we may feel doubtful. It may be asked, what does the word ‘security’ mean? Certainly parents who are over-protective cause distress in their children, just as parents who cannot be reliable make their children muddled and frightened. Evidently, then, it is possible for parents to give too much security, and yet we know that children do need to feel secure. How can we sort this out?
