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Thursday, September 2, 2010

Learning Curve

We have a history of planning fun activities for Bear we're *sure* he'll love, and invariably he freaks out and refuses to participate.

Like the time we said to ourselves "Bear loves his dried bean bin and goes crazy for sandboxes... let's take him to play in the giant dried corn sandbox at the fall festival!" He freaked out and clung to me.



And the (several) times we said to ourselves "Bear loves to jump on the couch and trampoline and... well, anything really. Let's take him to [insert any recent community activity], they have a bounce house." Cue the meltdown.

I thought I had it figured out: he doesn't do well in public situations. This is not news. So I thought something new and fun at home would be a slam dunk.

But I should have known my little bathtub addicted sensory seeking mess maker would not, in fact, react the way I'd hoped when I sucked it up and dealt with the smell finally introduced shaving cream as a sensory play activity.

There was screaming. And crying. And refusing to participate. And a complete freakout when a tiny dot got on his hand, ending only when I let him turn on the water to wash it off.

It took a while. And a lot of being silly. And a lot of letting him smack it around on me, my clothes, my face and, ya know, my dignity. But he finally came around. A little bit.

Especially when he discovered he can hold my hands and skate around the tub. And realized I'd let him push the button to get more.


But mostly... predictably... he just tolerates the shaving cream until I give in and let him turn on the water.