cry freedom

Johari has been very into transferring things from one vessel to another. Popcorn can go from bowl to bowl to table to floor to bowl and so on. Blueberries go from bowl to bag to bowl to bag to mouth. Applesauce from bowl to plate and drizzled all over her pieces of chicken. It looks like a tasty sauce although she doesn't try eating the combination. It is far more about the process although she takes a bite of whatever she is transferring here and there.
I have been thinking about joining the YMCA. So that I have another possible way to exercise if the weather is not inviting for the outdoor activities. I checked it out and they have childcare at the one that is close to where we live. So next step would be to apply for a membership and all that jazz. When I thought about taking Johari there and leaving her at the childcare, I could imagine how that might go or whether it would just be a tragedy for her. So my next step was to ask someone (a friend) to watch Johari for 20 minutes or a half hour to see how that goes. To get her used to the concept of me leaving for a little while and then coming back. On Monday, Hyon and Ariel came over to watch Johari for this first trial period. I told her I was going to leave for a bit. Immediately she got very upset and burst into tears and clung to me. I held her while she cried a bit and then I gave her to Hyon still crying and went for a short run. They reported a success. She cried for a couple minutes while Hyon held her and comforted her. Then she was ready to play with Ariel.
I am really thankful for this Playful Parenting book that I am reading. The chapters that I have been reading in the last week or so have been really helpful about handling children's emotions. Just being with them and allowing for their emotions to flow and be supported and safe. It helps me feel less anxiety about having to try to get her to stop crying. Instead, I can just hold her and let her cry if something is upsetting or hurts. I am not explaining it well. It sounds so simple. Accessing more understanding about what children need in their emotional world is really helpful. It makes it easier to just be with the emotions rather than needing to shut them off as soon as possible.
She is starting to draw with her markers a bit more. It had been all about the caps...on and off. Markers in the bowl and then putting each one on the table or on the floor. It is still much of the same process. She takes a marker out of the bowl, takes the cap off, draws a line or two with it, puts the cap back on, and the marker either goes on the floor or back in the bowl. The drawing part is the fun addition to the process. At least from my perspective.
Picture this, Johari breastfeeding and pretending to talk on her play cellphone. Quite a funny sight.