Layla has decided that she is afraid. Of everything. From bugs (which she usually loves), cottonwood (yes, the tree and the shit it drops on the ground) and trains.
Trains. Obviously, for most people this would not be that big of a deal. Sadly, for us, it is. We live about a mile from the train yard. We hear trains and train whistles day and night. Layla has heard this every day of her life. But now she has decided that trains scare her.
Like any good parent, we ran to the internet experts to find out what to do about this new fear of everything. The interweb people tell us to acknowledge the fear, talk about the fear, and provide support. DO NOT tell them it’s silly and disregard their feelings. Well shit. I’ve been running around telling her how ridiculous and silly she is being. Now even the fucking internet is telling me I’m being a bad mom.
Okay, so approach changed and it’s bedtime. The battle begins. Every time the train whistle sounds, you hear a thud as she jumps from the bed, her little clunk, clunk, clunk as she sprints across her room, and BANG BANG BANG as she hits the door yelling for us.
“Layla, it’s okay. That train is just saying hi to you. Did you say hi? It’s just like your trains Thomas and Rosie. You like Thomas and Rosie, don’t you?”
And on and on. After about an hour of this, we decide to take a different approach. The “experts” mention the option of moving them back into your bed if you want to for a while. Well fuck that. We already have Evie in bed with us, and Layla kicks and flips and thinks it’s a game to be there. Hmm, perhaps if someone is in her room with her. What to do, what to do?
The dog. Sacrifice the dog. Here Tullah.
“Honey, Tullah is going to sleep in your room with you, would you like that”?
So in she goes. Yes, we threw our dog to the toddler. Good luck, Tullah. May the gods be with you. The leaping from bed and banging on door slows and eventually stops. Every time we looked in though, there sat poor Tullah, tolerant but looking ever so miserable with her new duty. But we may be on to something.
Sorry Tullah, you drew the short stick on this one. Blame the internet.
Trains. Obviously, for most people this would not be that big of a deal. Sadly, for us, it is. We live about a mile from the train yard. We hear trains and train whistles day and night. Layla has heard this every day of her life. But now she has decided that trains scare her.
Like any good parent, we ran to the internet experts to find out what to do about this new fear of everything. The interweb people tell us to acknowledge the fear, talk about the fear, and provide support. DO NOT tell them it’s silly and disregard their feelings. Well shit. I’ve been running around telling her how ridiculous and silly she is being. Now even the fucking internet is telling me I’m being a bad mom.
Okay, so approach changed and it’s bedtime. The battle begins. Every time the train whistle sounds, you hear a thud as she jumps from the bed, her little clunk, clunk, clunk as she sprints across her room, and BANG BANG BANG as she hits the door yelling for us.
“Layla, it’s okay. That train is just saying hi to you. Did you say hi? It’s just like your trains Thomas and Rosie. You like Thomas and Rosie, don’t you?”
And on and on. After about an hour of this, we decide to take a different approach. The “experts” mention the option of moving them back into your bed if you want to for a while. Well fuck that. We already have Evie in bed with us, and Layla kicks and flips and thinks it’s a game to be there. Hmm, perhaps if someone is in her room with her. What to do, what to do?
The dog. Sacrifice the dog. Here Tullah.
“Honey, Tullah is going to sleep in your room with you, would you like that”?
So in she goes. Yes, we threw our dog to the toddler. Good luck, Tullah. May the gods be with you. The leaping from bed and banging on door slows and eventually stops. Every time we looked in though, there sat poor Tullah, tolerant but looking ever so miserable with her new duty. But we may be on to something.
Sorry Tullah, you drew the short stick on this one. Blame the internet.
Aaw, Tullah's a good dog. Don't think I'll forget this. Oh no, we have a dog who deserves some payback for all the crap she chewed up in the puppy years. Thanks, April.
ReplyDeleteCertainly sounds fair to me!
ReplyDeleteha, our dogs would not stay in Bennett's room. Smart since he likes to try to bounce balls off of them and run them down with his "shopping cart".
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought to sacrifice the dog. Good idea! Mia's current fear is of thunder. It can be a sunny day and she's sure thunder is coming to get her.
ReplyDeletedamn, well hopefully marcus won't ever get that fear considering that's where the paycheck comes from.
ReplyDelete