I have a few different tactics when it comes to finding the stories of unconditional love in my family.
Sometimes, I’m merely documenting the activities going on. Playing, reading, eating, sleeping. I want to remember all the details of our normal. Sometimes, I’m just a proud mama taking the standard milestone photos- the first day of school, award ceremonies, plays, etc. Those are the easy stories to tell, but they don’t really get into WHO my children are. It’s a documentation of our normal which is still very important, but sometimes I like to dig deeper.
This is a photo of comfort and security.
My littlest gets overwhelmed very easily. She has two reactions to this: act out in the loudest, most aggressive way possible, or withdraw.
Her favorite hiding place to withdraw is this couch. It slides easily on the wood floor, so she scoots it out and throws pillows behind it, just wide enough for her to squeeze into. She often brings a bucket full of treasures- tiny toys that she collects- and hides them under all the pillows. This is her safe spot.
I’ve learned that if I try to pull her out of here or force her to clean up the mess back there while she’s still in hiding, it doesn’t end well for anyone. She needs this mental break from the world to quietly recharge.
But had I not stopped to look for this story- questioned why I always find her here when she’s hiding and really examined why she was hiding in the first place- I probably would have glossed over this facet of her personality.
Her aggression can drive me absolutely crazy. And I never stopped to consider that this special hiding place of hers is the way she manages and regulates herself.
So maybe, with the help of this moment, the next time I find pillows all over the floor and the couch askew, I can choose to remember. I can understand that this is a sign of a little five
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