We spent today at a great little beach here in Florida. Sand, sun, more sand, shells, sand in swim diapers, sand in hair…you get the idea.
Count Waffles the Terrible spent most of his beach time looking for friends. He approached many a group of what could only be vacationing cousins or relatives on an outing…only to strike out and be ignored. Ok, maybe ignored is too harsh. Mostly he ran up to a group of older kids and yelled something like “Hi guys!” and then just proceeded to try and do whatever they were doing. Many times they just didn’t even notice the new little kid tagging along back.
While I’m proud of my little guy for being so social…it also kinda freaks me out that he always tries to play with the big kids and where he is not invited. I worry about rejection. I worry about them including him only to pick on him. I worry about stupid shit that is all part of childhood that I really shouldn’t worry about.
I spent the day worrying…until I overheard my mother and father talking.
My Mom was telling my Dad how the Count just runs up and finds friends wherever we are…just like his mother used to do. She told stories of how I would ditch my cousins to go find new friends on whatever vacation or trip we were on. How my cousins would then sit back and complain that I left them yet again for my new friends I met at the hotel pool, or theme park, or beach.
Suddenly I was much less worried about the Count. After all..I’m just fine, and my willingness to meet new people and introduce myself at random has really blessed me with some of the most amazing people in my life.
Yeah. I feel better now. I’m going to try and NOT freak out anymore when my little social butterfly just prances up to a group and joins in on the fun. After all, if he really is that much like me…he won’t listen when I tell him not too anyway.
I also raised my tiny guy on the beach who would complain of no one to play with. I told him to go over with a toy and say hi and his name and offer the cool toy to a kid. OR just go over and start playing with them.
Sometimes they don’t play. Sometimes they have said you are a baby and go away. Mostly it works and he meets lots of cool and fun kids and is friendly and outgoing always.
Reject is a part of life and I am glad for him to go through it while he is little, will confide in me and turn to me when he is hurt. I am afraid if he goes through it as an adolescent first, he will not want to talk and go through it alone.
I hope he has learned some people are cool and some people suck and the sucky ones you don’t need to really worry about.
For most people,that kind of social interaction is almost impossible…I think Mr. Waffles will have a leg up on everyone else if he starts now.
xx
I’m always afraid of that too with my kids.
I admire his bravery. My fear of rejection would have prevented me from even making an attempt to join other kids!
I have a daughter like that. We went to the pool yesterday, and she was running around playing with a bunch of kids I had never seen before. My mom used to joke that I could make a new best friend in an elevator. It was funny, until it actually happened.
My other daughter is afraid of meeting new people. She needs to bring a friend with us when we go to the pool or she will end up bored and whiney. I think I’d rather be the one who is free and finds new friends easily if I had a choice.
Alex and Liberty are both very outgoing and not shy at all around other kids. I’m so thankful for that because I used to be very shy and now I have social anxiety extreme. It is most definitely a blessing when your children are that confident and well adjust in themselves.
I was like that when I was little, always running off to meet new people. Then I discovered what being judged meant, which sucks. I wish I could go back to not understanding nor caring what people thought of me and just make friends.