Our good bedtime routine has been interrupted by fear. Libby has become very anxious because of what I assume was one bad dream 2 weeks ago. She woke up screaming and spent the rest of that night in our bed and now her lip starts to quiver when we finish the last bedtime story. She gets weepy and says she doesn’t want to have bad dreams. She seems comforted by her dad firmly sending any would be nightmares away and surprisingly she wants her door kept shut – she is reassured that will keep them out. I remind her of her favorite things – how can anything pink and plush ever be scary? But it’s so hard to see her afraid and I find myself lingering by her crib where she should feel perfectly safe.
Fear is a funny thing; I want them to have the so-called healthy fears about jumping off of high things, strangers and eating yummy looking berries off trees but anxiety is another thing and it requires thoughtful tending. The hard part is knowing when to keep it light or really delve in – when to say you can sleep here tonight but this will not become a habit. With Isaac it is trying new things that gets his knees to knocking. But there is hope; we went to a pancake breakfast with Santa and Isaac actually sat on the red clad strangers’ lap. I was so surprised and tried to casually let him know I thought it was great because it was something he wouldn’t have even considered 6 months ago. He said, “I really wanted that candy cane.” I guess we all have to find the candy cane that pushes us past our fears.
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