Taking him to nursery today, I felt anxious. What if the bigger kids tease him for playing with a doll? What if someone tries to take his doll off him? Will the nursery staff realise or remember that it’s his doll? But when we got there, his key worker said, “Oh, you’ve brought your baby doll with you! We can get the doll clothes out and we can feed and dress her.” And he went off without so much as a goodbye. Though he was holding Dolly very tightly.
Walking home, the words transitional object came to mind. I remember reading about it when Jake was a baby. Some children become attached to objects like blankets or toys when they are very young. It’s taken Jake a little while longer. And although there’s a lump in my throat cos my baby’s growing up, taking his own steps of independence away from me, I’m grateful that I’ve been able to be there for him for these nearly two years. I’ve never been more sure than I am now that staying home with him is the right thing to do.
(*Jake goes to nursery two mornings a week)
P.S. When I went to pick Jake up, they told me that he hadn't let go of Dolly all morning. Even when we went to the playground, Jake held on to her for a little while before handing her to me.
2 comments:
Dudelet never really got into transitional objects either until he was quite old. And when he did, they tended to be things he could take somewhere and talk about. Little elf, however, has always clung to her bunnies/dolls/three-eyed alien whilst (at times) lugging a veritable suitcase full of other objects to the childminders.
Tremendously cute pic, by the way.
Z had a dolly when he was one and two. Really loved her. Then discovered gender (or summat), aged about two and a half, and dolly went back in the box...
Gorgeous pic.
Post a Comment