Baby

So my dd wants to pretend to be a baby. This can be challenging with a 3 1/2 year old when she wants to be carried everywhere and not talk because she is a baby. I do my best to breathe, and remember it is a sweet opportunity for connection. She gives me cues that she is a baby. She uses baby mannerisms, wants to be carried, dressed and wants to use sounds instead of words to verbally communicate. She knows that I teach infant classes and she has always loved mothering her baby dolls. She is pretty thrilled with her new friend Lila Bluebelle, a 2 month old infant, and is enamoured with Lila's mama, Sarah Lu.

Why not connect with her through this play? I admit sometimes I get annoyed because I would love for her to put on her own shoes, pull up her own pants, walk herself into school, go to the toilet on her own, etc., etc. Then I remember to connect, connect, connect. She magically transforms back into a preschooler when we get to her classroom. She is using her baby play as a way to connect with me and I find that to be very resourceful of her. She has been active in imaginary play since she was 18 months old and it is heartwarming to watch the evolution of this play. I want to nurture this as much as possible. However, I have to say that it sometimes is much easier when she is in a phase of pretending to be big-boy Jesse (her 5 y/o friend)! She will go to sleep on her own, doesn't want to have us do much for her, etc., etc. I long for cuddly connection with her during the times when she is exploring greater independence, so I remember this when she expresses the need to connect through her baby play. Her needs ebb and flow. Such is life. I often wonder if I was so resourceful and imaginative as a 3 year old child.