Yesterday I shared a little bit about the how and why babies can be fearful of new things, even those things that you want them to experience. I also mentioned how my own toddler who loves water in every form he has encountered so far (he doesn’t even mind when water gets in his face from a shower or sprinkler) seemed to loathe the beach. Now I’ll tell you more about how we decided to take the supportive approach with him and this fear.
That first day at the beach, we arrived to it in the afternoon. It was a bit crowded, although the sun was gentle enough. He at first didn’t want to get out of the wagon, so his dad picked him up and slowly walked him into the water. After a few minutes, it was obvious that he didn’t like being there. So I took him out and sat with him and the very edge of the shore, where the tide gently lapped the water along the beach. I sat cross-legged on the wet sand, and he sat completely in the circle of my arms, with this legs and feet on me instead of the beach.
As we sat there, I talked gently to him about the water and the waves coming in. I picked up a piece of a seashell and made patterns in the sand that were then washed away my the water. I pressed my hand on the wet sand so he could see the impression it left. Basically, I wanted to let him know that all of this water and sand was an interesting experience, but one that he could choose to observe instead of participate in, if that was what he wanted. I kept up the activity as long as he didn’t complain or seem distressed. A couple of times I pointed out the fun his older brother and sister were having in the waves, but that made him wrap my arms around himself tighter, as though he believed I would make him go out there, too. But I never made a move toward that end, and soon he relaxed.
Check back again next time, when I’ll share what happened next.
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Making the Transition to a Toddler Bed