#1
Sure enough she was rifling though everything. Eventually she opened a drawer and found a very realistic looking d***o (It was really water gun that I got as a gag gift).
She inspected it and had the most terrified confused look on her face.
She stopped searching my room.
#2
She brought it out when she asked her grandma if they could make pancakes and they didn't have any flour or eggs. She was 4 years old at the time.
#3
We had the opportunity to speak with some experts, who were gracious enough to share their insights with us. One of them is Elaine Taylor-Klaus, CPCC, MCC, certified parenting coach and CEO of Impact Parents.
As she tells Bored Panda, parents must first and foremost approach such situations with curiosity. Asking questions like, “Was it something the kid discovered on their own?” or “Did someone else introduce it to them?” instead of assuming that you know what’s going on.
#4
#5
#6
Family and life coach Randi Crawford describes weird stuff in a kid’s room as a “universal law of childhood.” While she also urges approaching with curiosity instead of a “detective’s badge,” she also discourages sharing it on social media for strangers to see.
“Your goal is trust and connection with your child; this isn’t Law & Order SVU, it’s their life,” Crawford said. “And we want them to come to us in times of trouble.”
#7
#8
#9
For licensed marriage and family therapist Jason Aaronson, it’s about finding the balance between knowing what’s going on and maintaining the child’s personal space. And if the said items don’t constitute danger, Aaronson urges approaching with nurture, not judgment.
“It is better to lower their defenses and provide them with the space to voice their opinions. A good example would be framing a conversation without mentioning the specific object in question,” said Aaronson, who is also the executive and clinical director of Golden Road Recovery.
#10
Another time, my mom found a bowl of dirt in our room. She asked my sister why there was a bowl of dirt in our room. "Oh no!" she cried, "my worms escaped!".
#11
#12
My daughter, who turned 5 yesterday, has been taking the baby Jesus and hiding him in the 2nd drawer of her dresser under her pajamas.
This is the 3rd year this has been happening and she still does it. She has no answers or excuses.
It is a parent’s instinct to want to talk to their child upon finding something they have deemed unusual. And if you must do so, Taylor-Klaus emphasized the importance of asking permission about having an uncomfortable conversation.
She also strongly advises against making accusations, instead giving the benefit of the doubt.
#13
#14
#15
Embarrassing a child about your discovery is also a huge no-no, according to Crawford. Instead of giving lectures, she advises keeping conversations short and neutral.
“This is where you want to listen more than you talk because your goal is to have an open conversation, not a cross-examination,” Crawford said.
#16
#17
#18
Children may reach a point where they explore “weird” stuff as a way to fulfill their curiosity. But where does a parent draw the line between “this is typical kid behavior” and “this is a cause for concern?” Crawford says it’s when you begin finding “unidentifiable things” that may potentially cause harm.
“If it makes you pause, then absolutely trust that instinct. Nothing is stronger than a mom’s gut,” she said.
#19
She raided the nail polish, opened all of maybe 15 bottles and covered herself in it. It was completely covering both arms about to the tops of the biceps. She had smears of it on her face, stomach, back, legs even in her hair. It was all over the floor, the cabinets, the bathroom door handle, her room door handles, a trail on the floor, a big puddle on the hardwood floor in her room and a big puddle on her night stand.
When she was still in diapers, she figured out how to take them off herself. She took one off and smeared poop all over the walls.
Another time about that same age, she covered herself and all her toys and bedding with an entire pound of Vaseline. She did the same with a whole pound of Triple Paste. Except that time, she added a stripe around the entire perimeter of her room.
#20
