Gentle persuasion, or not so gentle

Rychen shys away from big group activities but it's time for a gentle PUSH!!!! After our attempt at Storytime today, he got a bit of a lecture. I'm so weary of seeking out fun activities for him to do, only to have him GLUED to me the whole time, with me egging him on to go be a normal kid and PLAY WITH THE KIDS! Storytime is a basic outing that thousands of moms do, every week, all over hte United States. And yet, my child resists. He sits right next to me, by the parents, and complains that he is bored and hungry. So today I told him "I am getting up with Elisabeth so she can dance and have fun. You do what you want." Of course he stayed right by me. Nope, didn't do the song and dance.

 

Anyway now our ward is doing weekly playgroups. We tried it, but he just played alone. When I talked to him about it, he told me he just has "to get used to the other kids." Okay fine. We will keep trying. The problem is, it's during Elisabeth's nap time. So I told him Becca will take him (or stay with him when I leave). I actually think this is brilliant because he can't stick to me like glue, if I am not there. He plays much more readily when I a not around!

 

So we'll see how it goes tomorrow.

 

In the meantime, he is now scared of the dark and won't go to sleep unless somebody is laying with him. In our bed. Wah Wah. This kid has been in and out of our bed more times than I can count. He is satisfied with sleeping on a mattress on our floor, but then I have to get out of bed every time he wakes up to whine "I need blankets!" (apparently he can't bend down and get them himself) or "Where's Lion?" Grrr.  Okay so I would rather he slept in my bed with me. Meanwhile Dad is remarking on how comfortable Rychen P's bed is.... and so the family musical beds continues!!