So sorry to bombard you all with my parenting questions but I feel like this is the age of asking everyone online before calling a therapist! How do I get a 2 1/2 year old over a fear she has? Let me tell what happened…
When we went to Colorado we borrowed my dads carseat. When I installed the carseat there was this plastic piece in the back that I guess when I tightened it I didn’t move away like it should have. She was sitting in the seat and we were on the highway and all the sudden she is SCREAMING her back hurts. We didn’t think too much of it because she always says “my back hurts” as she hears me say it all the time (which I am working on NOT saying it anymore) so as she goes from just saying her back hurts to screaming crying I put my hand back behind her and feel nothing. She fell asleep after a few minutes with her hand behind her. About 10 minutes later we were able to get out of the car and when I got her out I saw a little red mark on her back and I felt a hard piece sticking out through the back (not sharp just annoying.) I uninstalled the carseat and noticed that plastic piece had moved and was poking her in the back. Ok so I re-installed it and showed her the piece is gone and it’s all better.
Now whenever she gets into ANY car seat (mine, my moms, dads, husbands, etc) she holds her hand behind and says her back hurts. NOT crying it or acting like she’s in pain and she doesn’t say this while sitting in a chair, the sofa, or anywhere else EXCEPT her car seat. I have shown her numerous times it’s soft and there’s nothing there to hurt her and she refuses to sit in her car seat without her hand on the small of her back 🙁
I just don’t know what to do? Do any of you have suggestions? Please post them here vs on my facebook if possible 🙂 I need help!
Lets pray one day she’ll learn to drive with both hands and not keep one behind her at all times!
Sarah P
Liz had a really rough transition to going back to the sitters after we came back from our cruise… she was convinced we were leaving for a week again. so i just sat her down and said “remember how mommy dropped you off yesterday and you were sad, but mommy went to work and came back to get you??” and she said “ya” and i said “mommy’s going to do that again… i’m going to go to work while you play, but i’ll be back to get you very soon, ok?” and she agreed and went off to play. we havent had issues since, but it took me days before i realized maybe i just needed TO talk to her instead of talking AT her. maybe allowing her to have input and feel like she’s also in control of the situation will help her see that she doesnt need to be afraid its going to hurt her.