Fear...
Berean is more fearful and cautious than any of our other children. She is afraid of large statues of animals, in addition to real animals. In theory she loves dogs and "pink" ponies. In reality she is afraid of dogs and any pony- even ones with glitter on their hindquarters.
This fear has always been an issue with her, but it became much worse last week. Last week we were at the Little League Ball Park and she had to pee. I took her into the bathroom and she looked suspiciously at the large stainless steel toilet. Finally, she agreed to go as long as I held her hand. Mid stream she must have moved her little butt just enough to activate the auto flush. You should have seen that girl jump! The pee stopped, she jumped off the seat and that was the end of that. Now she is afraid of public toilets.
A couple of days later she went to the zoo with my sister and some friends. Somehow she missed seeing the approaching Daddy Orangutan and instead saw him when she turned her head and he was right in front of her on the other side of the glass. This up close and personal view of a large hairy primate did little to encourage a love of animals.
This last weekend we traveled out to my Dad's hometown with my whole family in order to visit my Grandma and celebrate the town's 125th anniversary. We had a good time. Berean peed in the am before we left and did not go again until 6pm. Good thing she has a strong bladder. We finally convinced her to go at the nursing home and the hotel, but there is still a huge hullabaloo everytime she has to go.
She also completely lost it while watching people ride ponies, observing the petting zoo animals and upon being told that there would be horses in the parade.
We got back to our hotel and she got onto one of the beds and declared it "Berean's big bed". She was very irate to have to share it with us and that turned into another fuss.
I had not realized how much I need those 10-12 hours when all the kids are sleeping. I need that time to recharge and to regroup. Vacations are nice, but I just don't get that time alone that I crave.
Trepidation...
We are supposed to all go camping later this summer. Quite frankly both of us are a little concerned when we think about all of the invisible owies Berean could get while camping, all of the toilets she could refuse to use, and all of the hours of sleep that we may miss.
I guess there is a chance that she may find out that camping is her one love in life and may embrace the experience wholeheartedly. But I doubt it.
3 comments:
Hugs. Maybe I'm glad we're not going anywhere this summer.
Could you do a port a potty? Not pleasant to deal with, but perhaps better than her meltdowns?
Any time we have to use a non-our-house bathroom (a park, a restaurant or a friend's house), Alethea will ask me if it is a 'loud flush' toilet. Even if I assure her that it won't be, she insists that I flush the toilet for her after she has left the room or at the very least has left the stall and relocated herself to the furthest corner of the bathroom.
I once heard of a mom who carried a pad of post-it-notes in her purse to stick on the sensor of auto flush toilets so they wouldn't go off while her kids were sitting on them. I am thinking I may have to employ that strategy during our next big trip.
Thia,
I think I will be bringing her little potty chair with when we camp. Our campsite will be very far from the outhouse and so it will be easier for night time anyway. I would just let the boys pee in a bush, but she doesn't have that skill. I think I may buy her one of those gogirls too for when she is older.
Elise, I have heard that trick too. I tried to block the sensor on one after the incident, but her reasoning at age 2 wasn't enough to make her understand how that would help. She doesn't trust me :) Maybe when she is 3...
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