Okay, how badly am I screwing my kid up?
Background: We have been having a rash of deaths, sort of. We were in Ottawa for a funeral last weekend. Prior to that Carl’s grandmother died, something Noah has not forgotten. And then our neighbour across the street died while we were gone. And then our next door neighbour’s sister died on Hallowe’en, which she explained when she came to give us candy.
So maybe that is why when Noah and I watched a YouTube video of Andrea Bocelli singing Elmo to sleep that Noah had a complete silent-teared meltdown thinking Elmo was dying.
Or maybe I have just been too blunt about Emily? I didn’t, by the way, talk to Noah about all that stuff I posted about last. But from time to time we have said that he had a sister and she died because she had a hard time being born. And pointed out that he was born just fine.
Anyways, the poor kid. He was beside himself that Elmo was dying. Maybe because the funeral had hymns?
We had to watch more Elmo afterwards. To show how alive he is.
God knows I am never bringing up Mr. Hooper.
And no, we don’t usually watch Elmo, but he has seen the odd episode in hotel rooms.
Our youngest spent a while as a Toddler asking if Terri or I were going to die. I was awful to think we had somehow caused his worries. We were never able to figure out what was at the bottom of his fears, but gentle reassurance that we weren’t going anywhere helped. He also would play for hours with his brother setting up ‘war/battles’ with Lago men only to tell his older brother “none could be killed.” After a few meltdowns his brother realized wounded soldiers would have to do.
I believe you’ve gentle and compassionate with your introductions of death, this is probably his little brain beginning to really process the concept.
Margret
Hugs to both of you. It sounds like there have been enough recent deaths around him to trigger him to be thinking about it — I doubt it was your occasional mentions of Emily. It must be especially hard for you to watch him go through this, though.
Andrea Bocelli is truly a master. He has a super great voice that sounds heavenly.,”