While struggling through Emma's defiant 2 year old (and beyond) years, I purchased a book, at full price in desperation, called Raising your Spirited Child, by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. It has some great ideas and includes a few personality tests, helping the parent to understand where a child's spirited behavior comes from (Emma's exactly like her mother I discovered). The "terrible twos" were a difficult time in my life as a mom and I was thankful the author portrayed spiritedness in a positive light. One of the author's recommendations was water therapy as a way to calm a child. Essentially the therapy is just letting a child play in water. The water is calming, is a great teacher of cause and effect, and is pretty easy to clean up. Emma loves playing in water to this day and uses her imagination to mix extravagant meals and desserts. Yesterday I walked into the kitchen to find Mandy included in the at least daily water therapy ritual. It was precious.
Emma actually lost interest in the water long before Mandy.
She filled her little container over and over again. And over again, watching the water fall, sometimes over the edge. Thanks to Emma's difficult stage, I know that cleaning up a little water and changing a wet baby is far easier than the trouble a defiant child causes.
"Do I look like someone who needs water therapy?"
9 comments:
My #4 would probably love that...I've never thought to let him. If the other ones let him have a chance at the sink...a wet baby and a little water on the floor has stood in my way but maybe they would be easier than a cranky, bored baby!
Washing dishes is therapy for me. Just give me a pair of gloves, a good sponge, and good smelling dishwash soap and I am there. It must be the sponge and soap. It releases tension for me. Funny! I never knew it had a name, "water therapy", nice.
My number one child has spent Many many hours playing at the sink. I never thought to call it therapy, it was more like quiet creative survival to me. We got these really cool water flutes at Walmart, have you discovered the cool bath toys that are on the same shelves as the bubble bath? I can't really bear to let them use them in the bath, but they are GREAT sink play toys; and since music runs in your family...
That is so great that she continued to play so intently as you took the photos. I think I need some water therapy AKA soak in the hot tub!
I love the water therapy idea, I'm pretty sure Grace would really be in to it. Mandy sure seems to be enjoying herself!
I KNEW Russell and Mandy were destined to be together;-)
What a great idea! We may have to try that even if Abby doesn't have a defiant spirit! =)
I did try it! #4 loved it! I posted some pictures.
what a great idea. i can't wait to try it. i my littlest one is approaching the terrible twos and is really learning to express her will! i'm sure she would love this activity.
Post a Comment