Sometimes we just need a moment, a moment to let our full emotionality breathe.
He was 3 years old. We couldn’t bring his scooter. It was too much to deal with in order to escort him and his sister safely around the city. He had just learned how to use the scooter, a new iteration of autonomy. He was proud.
He put his shoes on diligently while crying…maybe hoping he could just grab it on the way out. “We can’t, I’m sorry.”
He goes down the four flights of stairs by himself still crying.
“Do you want me to carry you down?”
“Stop saying that!”
“Do you want some water?”
“Stop saying that!”
“What can I do?”
“Stop saying that!”
“Stop saying what?”
“Stop saying that!”
“I’m so sorry we can’t take your scooter!”
“Stop saying that!”
Eventually, I listened…I stopped saying that! I stopped adding my anxiety to the mix. In under 3 minutes of peace and quiet, he settled down and was back to giggling down the street with his big sister in jubilant rhapsody.
He taught me a lot about accompaniment that day. I’m still learning. I mess it up all the time.