Another Little Victory

[Guest guest]

Kate (9 yrs) used to love to spend the night at Grandma & Grandpa's house . . .

but that all changed last spring. We never did figure out the reason but right

about bedtime her anxiety level would sky-rocket and she would beg to go home to

sleep. Then she'd be so embarassed and upset because, " If I go home, Grandma

will think I don't like it here! " She was so torn between the fear (of

something happening to me and her dad if she wasn't with us) vs. the

embarassment of, once again, " chickening out. "

Last night she licked it! I offered to leave her my watch (something that I

would miss so she'd know I was thinking of her) which she was eager to accept.

At bedtime, though, she bravely decided she didn't need my watch, " But could you

wait until I'm asleep to go home? " So we did that. She had some trouble

getting to sleep but she didn't cry and she didn't chicken out which is huge.

Hopefully this victory will be a big boost to her confidence and she'll be able

to do it with less anxiety next time (which we'll try to do soon to keep the

momentum going). In January her best friend wants to have a sleepover party for

her 9th birthday and Kate wants so badly to do it. She's motivated to do her

" practice sleepovers " and we're hoping make the friend's party a " reward " for

her rather than an embarassing anxious time.

Beth

[Guest guest]

That is awesome, Beth! Good for Kate. )

Josh went through a period, where he wouldn't stay the night anywhere

either. When he was 7, he just couldn't do it anymore, after having

stayed at his grandparents numerous times. He didn't get over it

until he was 13, maybe even 14. Once he did it, it was no big deal

anymore. I hope that is the case for her too. It would be great if

she was able to make it to the sleepover.

BJ

>

> Kate (9 yrs) used to love to spend the night at Grandma & Grandpa's

house . . . but that all changed last spring. We never did figure out

the reason but right about bedtime her anxiety level would sky-rocket

and she would beg to go home to sleep. Then she'd be so embarassed

and upset because, " If I go home, Grandma will think I don't like it

here! " She was so torn between the fear (of something happening to me

and her dad if she wasn't with us) vs. the embarassment of, once

again, " chickening out. "

>

> Last night she licked it! I offered to leave her my watch

(something that I would miss so she'd know I was thinking of her)

which she was eager to accept. At bedtime, though, she bravely

decided she didn't need my watch, " But could you wait until I'm asleep

to go home? " So we did that. She had some trouble getting to sleep

but she didn't cry and she didn't chicken out which is huge.

>

> Hopefully this victory will be a big boost to her confidence and

she'll be able to do it with less anxiety next time (which we'll try

to do soon to keep the momentum going). In January her best friend

wants to have a sleepover party for her 9th birthday and Kate wants so

badly to do it. She's motivated to do her " practice sleepovers " and

we're hoping make the friend's party a " reward " for her rather than an

embarassing anxious time.

>

> Beth

>

>