I think Katie is a pretty even keeled child. She isn't overly emotional and in general has a pretty mellow temperament. But over the last few months I have started to see two very extreme fears begin to develop. This week has brought about episodes for both.
Two days ago I was volunteering at the school with Katie and Sara by my side and in the middle of my art lesson when the fire alarm went off. It was just a good old fashioned fire drill but it scared Kate to death. She immediately started running around the room hysterical. I tried explaining to her what was happening. It was just a practice. We were just going to follow the class outside. There was no real fire or danger. But poor Kate, her eyes as big as saucers, thought the building was coming down with us in it. The next thing I know she is running around the room trying to collect her most valuables and save them from certain death in roaring flames. Her most valuables just happened to be red vines that she had deposited in certain places. (a bag of them in our wagon, one at the desk she was working at and then there was the one on the floor she had dropped when the alarm went off) All of them had to be saved. It took brute force to pull her away. At the time it was sad to see her so terrified. Now I look back at her frantic attempts to save licorice and it makes me laugh. This all stems from the week we went to the school for a fire safety show. They had a smoke trailer. Dave took the kids in the van which quickly began filling up with smoke, alarms blaring. It was supposed to give the kids a realistic trial to help prepare them for the real thing. All it did was send Kate into hysterics. Dave had to be let out with crying three year old in toe. The rest of the night she begged us never to put her in the smoke again. Such trauma! This is when fire preparedness goes wrong.
The second source of terror for Kate is the idea of me leaving the house without her. Now this one is totally way out there. No...I have never left her at home alone. But every time she sees me go out the garage door, or even worse, start the car early to begin warming up, the next thing I know Kate is throwing herself out the door trying to make it to the car before I leave. And yes she is crying huge tears screaming "don't leave". No matter how much I try to talk sense into her, No I'm not leaving without you" "I just am going to warm up the car" she is on the verge of total meltdown until she is safely in the car! This one is never funny. It actually drives me nuts. I can't even talk her into reason she is so out of control. And having to deal with a nutcase every time I got out the garage door gets a little old.
Poor Katie. Will she forever live her life in fear of fire and abandonment?
4 comments:
Hopefuly its just a phase. It's like I always say though...try to enjoy it now because when she's a teenager so going to be waiting for the moment when you leave the house with out her so she can have the place to her self:) But really I see what you're saying. It's amazing how kids can cry and scream hystericaly instantaniously. Like it's the end of the world.
I can say that I am living your trama too. The boys at 7 and 6 will come panicing down the stairs should they hear the garage door go up for FEAR that they are going to be left behind. I think they actually shake the house trying to make sure they get downstairs first. And I too have never left them and it seems that no matter what I do...earthquake. Now it does come in handy in the morning when I am trying to get them downstairs so that we can leave for school...am I abusing my power? Or just putting it to good use? :)
Aww Katie...the licorice part of the story so cute. That's what I would be saving. Ok so I had this fear of clowns when I was little. And I admit it I still am scared. But I bet Katie will conquer hers.
I love the "licorice scramble". A girl after my own heart!
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