In which N got scared by a pumpkin
Today, N created a big scene at the school bus stop. He clinged on to his Dad and refused to let go when he tried to put N in the bus. He kept insisting that it is not his bus. Dad showed him his usual bus friends and teachers and the driver and said this is indeed his bus, but no use. After trying to calm him down and make him get into the bus, Dad gave up and got him back home.
Since this was the first ever time N plainly refused to get in the bus, I sensed something was wrong. I let him calm down for some time and asked him why he didn’t want to go to school. He then revealed he is scared by the big pumpkin picture that has been put up on his classroom wall. On the one hand, I was happy that my not yet 3-year-old can so vividly describe his feelings, but was also sad that he was entering into the scared-by-anything-everything phase. I had read somewhere that fear is a necessary emotion for brain development. Should I take this as a positive sign and be happy that his brain is developing?
I did not want to brush away his fear as something silly. Ridiculing his fear was never the plan, so I had to find something to allay his fear. First step was of course to respect his feelings which we all did. We came up with a plan on the spot and told him pumpkin is a vegetable which we eat. I told him we will take a knife and chop the pumpkin upto pieces. And that we will pack his toy knife in your bag the next day so that if the pumpkin at school troubles him again, he will be ready with his knife to chop it up. When the pumpkin sees him, it will cower and run away and this brought giggles! He found it so funny that a pumpkin can get scared of him. Luckily, this plan worked. He went to school the next day and did not mention any pumpkin or such. All is well!
