ABSTRACT
While most of these mothers appear to agree that spoiling is possible at twelve months, their opinions vary very widely as to how much attention is permissible and where to draw the line. Some are extremely permissive at this age, respond easily and quickly to the child's demands, allow any behaviour short of that which will bring him into physical danger and, where danger threatens, divert rather than forbid. Others seem constantly aware of the child as a kind of moral predator, waiting to take advantage of any relaxation of principle; they bring up their children, even at this tender age, on what we came to think of as the 'give them an inch and they'll take an ell' philosophy. Others again are in theory restrictive, but in practice permissive: conscious of the risks which they believe they run of spoiling the child, they yet give in much or most of the time for the sake of peace; one receives the impression of great inconsistency in the child's treatment, as the mother continually makes and breaks new resolutions not to spoil him.
