Page 20 - SB-Newton and the Needy Newts
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Newton kept on trying to get the approval of others by doing things that were silly, dumb and even dangerous. Most of us animals know better than to do what Newton was doing. But then again, these newts were very “needy.”
Newton knew that he could not sing better than the frogs. He certainly knew that he could not catch bugs nearly so well as a frog. And why was he willing to risk getting hurt in that climbing contest? He needed the attention and approval of others ... too much.
That was Newton’s problem. He could not be satisfied with just being himself, as he needed for others to pay attention to him and praise him. You may have some classmates and friends who act like Newton. They may try to be the “class clown”. They try to interrupt class in an attempt to get the others to laugh.
They may be the one who tries dangerous things or maybe just breaking the rules. Sometimes a little fooling around is fine but some, like Newton, take it too far.
Their need for attention and approval is so powerful that they do things that are not in their best self-interest in an attempt to gain it. Unfortunately for Newton, his neediness ended in some very, Thumbs Down behaviors.
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