Expanding Boundaries

All over the family room, Cayman will roll and roll, explore and play. But if she ever reaches the edge of the carpet where it meets the hardwood floor, it mise well be the edge of a cliff because to her that's as far as she will go.

One of Cayman's therapists once told us that it is very common for a child that has been hospitalized and under gone many medical procedures, for them to be very territorial and untrusting to anything new. Perhaps that explains why Cayman use to generally play with only toys that she was familiar with.

And now that she is more mobile, I am seeing another way that she is displaying distrust. She will not wander and explore outside of her known boundaries, the areas she already knows are safe such as our main hang out room, the family room.

This has its advantages. I can set her down with some toys in her room and go take a shower worry free that she has not wondered away and is getting into trouble. But the thought of her independently exploring just thrills me. If she would ever wander out of her room to come find me, oh that would make my heart soar.

So, I'm on a mission. I am trying to teach Cayman how to expand those boundaries of hers. I want her to realize she can go places and accomplish much.

And I realize this mission just might bite me later if I ever find the confidently wandering Cayman exploring the kitchen cupboards and dumping their contents all over. (lol) I hear that toddler do such things as that.

It's hard for me to imagine Cayman exploring on her own right now but it tickles me just thinking of it.

So I have this plotted mission broken into steps...

Step number one was to play with Cayman on the hardwood floors, the forbidden spot to her. I set up her toys on the hardwood floors just next to the line where the carpet begins with the idea that the "safe zone" would remain in sight to her.



On the first day, Cayman cried. She did not want to sit on the hardwood floors at all. So I moved onto plan B. I set Cayman on my lap, while still remaining on the hardwood floors. We played with her toys from there until she became comfortable and I sat her back down on the floor and she was not disturbed. Alright, progress!!

And each day after, we have played with various toys on the hardwood floors, moving further and further away from the family room.




She has not yet wandered out of the family room on her own, BUT, she is way more comfortable with the idea of being on the hardwood floors. Remember, I said on "day one" she cried. Well after consistent days of being placed on the hardwood floors, she has gained much confidence to move about on them....

In fact, take a look at a recent video I shot of her, and make sure not to miss her adorable backward scooting on her bottom (she came up with that move all on her own!)....