I realize that my thread title is, by definition, redundant.
Over the last few weeks, DS22mo has been displaying more signs of the same emotional OE I tend to exhibit. He is an extremely empathetic child and seems to be internalizing the emotions of characters in books we read, particularly. These are innocuous stories, though I do understand how he could be upset.
He usually indicates his discomfort by saying, "I don't like this book/song/video" and asking to nurse or snuggle.
Here are some recent examples of points of tension that have caused him to react:
- Paddington Bear slipping in a bathtub and struggling to get out
- A little girl's kitten gets stuck outside in a thunderstorm, and the girl worries all night about her pet
- A mother tiger goes on a hunt, a forest fire breaks out, and she is delayed in being reunited with her cub
- A version of row-row-row your boat featuring a crocodile in the water
I'm trying to label emotions, give lots of hugs (he's usually in my lap or snuggled against me when we're reading, anyway), and talk about how it's okay to feel sad/afraid/lonely. He's too young to get into a deep dialogue of how characters feel, though he does usually give an accurate one or two word description of the character's emotional state. (e.g. "I think she's sad.") If he's really quite upset, we stop the book and I flip to the end to help him see how the conflict resolves.
Is this just something we have to wait for DS to grow into? I'd love to hear your suggestions.
