Memos From Your Child        * Don’t spoil me. I know quite well that I ought not to have all I ask for … I’m only testing you.        ** Don’t be afraid to be firm with me. I prefer it .. it makes me feel more secure.        ** Don’t correct me in front of people if you can help it. I’ll take much more notice if you talk to me in private.        ** Don’t make me feel that my mistakes are sins. It upsets my sense of values.        ** Don’t be too upset if I say “I hate you.” It isn’t that I hate you, but only that I need your attention.        ** Don’t protect me from consequence. I need to learn the hard way.        ** Don’t take too much notice of my small ailment. Sometimes they get me the attention I want.        ** Don’t nag. If you do, I shall have to protect myself by appearing deaf.        ** Don’t make rash promises. Remember that I feel badly let down when promises are broken.        ** Don’t forget that I cannot explain myself as well as I should like. This is why I’m not always accurate.        ** Don’t tax my honesty too much. I am easily frightened into telling lies.        ** Don’t be inconsistent. That completely confuses me and makes me lose my faith in you.        ** Don’t put me off when I ask you questions. If you do, you will find that I stop asking and seek my information elsewhere.        ** Don’t tell me my fears are silly. They are terribly real and you can do much to try to understand.        ** Don’t ever suggest that you are perfect or infallible. It gives me too great a shock when I discover that you are neither.        ** Don’t ever think it beneath your dignity to apologize to me. An honest apology makes me feel surprisingly warm to you.        ** Don’t forget how quickly I am growing up. It must be very difficult for you to keep pace with me but please try.        ** Don’t forget I love experimenting. I couldn’t get along without it, so please put up with it.        ** Don’t forget that I can’t thrive without lots of love. But I don’t need to tell you all the time, do I?