Last Monday was the first day of 2nd grade for A.
I knew she would probably be tired, but was not expecting tears at pick up.
My girl craves connection and if she feels disconnected, look out!
But this time, the disconnection wasn't just with me while she was away, but also the disconnection of her close friends who are in different classrooms this year. The FOMO is real.
When we got home, I knew I needed to give her some direct, one-on-one attention. The meltdown was strong and I needed her to know I was there for her. We went into her room and locked the door for privacy.
After playing for a bit, I asked if she was hungry.
"No!!"
And then I offered to get her hard boiled egg whites (she doesn't like the yolks) and some water.
"Mmmm, ok... but can I have milk instead?"
And so I got her a big glass of milk, and her mood improved dramatically after that.
As nursing moms, it's the burden and blessing to be able to comfort our child with our body. To be able to fix every hurt, including hunger, in an instant.
And part of toddler breastfeeding needs to be learning new ways to comfort - ways that work for you and that they will accept.
It's in these new ways of providing care that we teach our child that we will still be there for them, even if the milk isn't.
But in this case, I like to think that there is a memory deep inside that reminded her that milk is comfort too...
and I was happy to provide it.
Stay connected with news and updates!
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
