Edited 17/02/2021
In case if emergency...
kstar
May 20, 2013 23:17
My brand new (as in day one of placement) 6 yo LO has developed an almost obsessive anxiety about what we would do in an emergency. She constantly asks what would happen if I was in hospital or had an accident, how would she look after me and who would look after her. It seems to stem from the fact that BM was a very young single mum with no real family support who obviously didn''t cope, so Starlet is wondering if I will. I have done the obvious things - we have been to see our neighbor and walked through what Starlet could say if there was an accident in the house. I have very obviously in front of Starlet given the neighbor emergency contact details for Grandma and asked the neighbor to promise us that she will call Grandma if something happens and look after Starlet til Grandma arrives.Today she was literally running through a list of what might go wrong - what if you fell down he stairs? What if that car hit you? What if you got really sick and needed to go to hospital?Any advice? It''s really causing her a lot of anxiety and I don''t feel somehow like I''m helping her?!?
pluto
May 20, 2013 23:36
I think you have answered her questions. So I would take aèstep back now and for a while not talk in detail about it. Ask her to answer her own question or say 'we have talked about it, you know what will happen, I do not want to talk about it now but we will if the plan changes'.You could also distract, when she starts give a hug and say something like; you worry about so many things, it will all be oke, I take good care of you. What would you like to eat tonight? You never told me what your favourite food is.
Edited 17/02/2021
kelpie
May 21, 2013 06:10
I think the same as Pluto, get her to answer the questions herself to reinforce that she knows it already. Maybe teach her how to ring your Mum or someone and let het practise ringing- the conversation with whoever she rings will distract her too.You could also show hew photos of your support network when she's not asking so she can see all the support- that can be done without even mentioning an emergency.
Edited 17/02/2021
kstar
May 21, 2013 11:03
Yeah we have done the photos bit and she has a diary with it written in when she is meeting them all. Unusually, SW suggested putting my support network in my family book as she was so anxious and it has definitely helped.I hadn't thought about practicing making a phone call. We will do that today and I will change mums entry to Grandma so she can find her easily (she is a confident reader). Thanks :-)
Edited 17/02/2021
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