Riding the Tornado
One of the banes of Abbie’s existence is the spiral tube slide. These things are commonly seen on playgrounds with their completely enclosed appearance rotating down to the ground, opening usually into a pit of well-worn sand.
These spiral tube slides seem to terrify Abbie. Part of her problem is she doesn’t like enclosed spaces; if we take her into any dark, tight space, she’ll scream. Another part of her problem is probably the spinning motion of the slide sends her careening downward with no idea of what’s going to happen until the lands ungracefully into that pit of well-worn sand at the problem. I suppose her biggest problem is that we once forced her to go down a spiral tube slide.
I think we were visiting the Kansas City Zoo and a large indoor children’s exhibit. They had a two-story spiral tube slide as part of a tree display. I thought she would have fun going down the slide, and since we needed to go downstairs anyway, I encouraged her to try it. When she resisted, I physically encouraged her to try it. I don’t know what happened on the way down, but it involved a lot of bumping and she slid out facing a different direction than she went in. I need to remember this story in case she needs to work her way through the memory with her therapist in a few years.
For whatever reason, Abbie isn’t fond of spiral tube slides. When we visited the fast food restaurant playground this afternoon, Abbie encountered her enemy at the top. The playground had plenty of other equipment to entertain her, but Abbie spent much of her time sitting at the top of the spiral tube slide, staring into the abyss. She alternated between looking like she wanted to try it, and looking around for something else to do.
A girl who was pushing the upper limit of the playground’s age restrictions saw her conundrum, and gave her a hand. She sat Abbie in her lap, and slid down the spiral tube slide. Abbie looked terrified when she popped out, but as soon as she realized she was still intact, she rushed back to the top. The older girl followed her, and helped her down again. And again. And again…
When the older girl had to leave, Abbie returned to the top of the spiral tube slide by herself, but she wouldn’t go down. I sat at the bottom slurping my fourth drink refill and encouraged her to try sliding down. About the time I was ready to fetch my fifth refill, she gave it a try.
When she hit bottom, we cheered for her. She hopped up with a giggle, and hopped her way back to the top of the slide. She slid down again, and we cheered again. And again. And again. And again…
I’m glad we eased her fears. Maybe it’ll save us on therapy bills a few years from now.
These spiral tube slides seem to terrify Abbie. Part of her problem is she doesn’t like enclosed spaces; if we take her into any dark, tight space, she’ll scream. Another part of her problem is probably the spinning motion of the slide sends her careening downward with no idea of what’s going to happen until the lands ungracefully into that pit of well-worn sand at the problem. I suppose her biggest problem is that we once forced her to go down a spiral tube slide.
I think we were visiting the Kansas City Zoo and a large indoor children’s exhibit. They had a two-story spiral tube slide as part of a tree display. I thought she would have fun going down the slide, and since we needed to go downstairs anyway, I encouraged her to try it. When she resisted, I physically encouraged her to try it. I don’t know what happened on the way down, but it involved a lot of bumping and she slid out facing a different direction than she went in. I need to remember this story in case she needs to work her way through the memory with her therapist in a few years.
For whatever reason, Abbie isn’t fond of spiral tube slides. When we visited the fast food restaurant playground this afternoon, Abbie encountered her enemy at the top. The playground had plenty of other equipment to entertain her, but Abbie spent much of her time sitting at the top of the spiral tube slide, staring into the abyss. She alternated between looking like she wanted to try it, and looking around for something else to do.
A girl who was pushing the upper limit of the playground’s age restrictions saw her conundrum, and gave her a hand. She sat Abbie in her lap, and slid down the spiral tube slide. Abbie looked terrified when she popped out, but as soon as she realized she was still intact, she rushed back to the top. The older girl followed her, and helped her down again. And again. And again…
When the older girl had to leave, Abbie returned to the top of the spiral tube slide by herself, but she wouldn’t go down. I sat at the bottom slurping my fourth drink refill and encouraged her to try sliding down. About the time I was ready to fetch my fifth refill, she gave it a try.
When she hit bottom, we cheered for her. She hopped up with a giggle, and hopped her way back to the top of the slide. She slid down again, and we cheered again. And again. And again. And again…
I’m glad we eased her fears. Maybe it’ll save us on therapy bills a few years from now.
posted by Matt at
11:40 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home