Child-mind

The idea of ceasing to exist could not possibly enter a child-mind: the butterflies and birds, the flowers, the foliage, the sweet summer itself, only play at dying;they seem to go, but they all come back again after the snow is gone.

The psychic Censorship working in the child-mind operates to prevent many of his thoughts and feelings from becoming manifest; in addition, the external taboos, which so early he has to recognize, lead him to realize that much of his inmost thought and impulse is not suitable to the standards of the adults around him.

Descriptive instruction therefore encourages and strengthens the grouped masses of ideas in the child-mind.

Although not specifically referring to grandparents, Peter Willmott points out that, in his study of North London in the 1980s, 75% of parents had relatives who would child-mind for them – a significant proportion of these were grandparents (Wilmott, 1988).

She winked at the Horned Ones, who did not seem to mind being left so precipitously to child-mind, and drew Azhure toward the encircling trees.

He refused to change any nappies, so I had to find someone who would child-mind my son overnight, whilst I went to work.