The grocery store (except for Whole Foods back in the day--20yrs ago) is not really the first place on my list to go for my social fix--- since I'm such a domesticated animal at this stage of the kiddie raising game, but my 3 yr old daughter has forced a change on that front. I still don't go there for 'social time', but I do talk to a fair number of folks while we shop, which I would practically never otherwise do. She must feel remiss in her public duty somehow unless she says, "Hi", "Hello", or (the funny one) "What are you doing?"(That last one really cracks me up.), to everyone we get within 10' of or if we stop long enough for her to start a conversation. I usually answer that last one for them with the surprising response, "They're shopping, Honey". As you can imagine, this makes me an even faster shopper than I already am, which is saying something for sure. I am blowing it a little out of proportion here, but it is really funny.
Thankfully too, she's got a sixth sense about people as well. I've watched it in action, which has given me a little reassurance, but I'm sure we'll have to work on that as time goes on. Things like this make me enquire within because in informing my daughter of how to Be in the world I also do not wish to scare her of it as too much of that kind of thinking can also hamper healthy development. A Healthy Caution is what I wish to teach and, of course with each new environment there will come into play a healthy set of protocols. I've seen, as you might've too, the extremes of this kind of conditioning. I'm sure, if anything I'll err on the side of a protective nature and hope the best for my child--development wise.
Even in thinking about the future, all of this is still so cute and makes me smile from ear to ear.
Thankfully too, she's got a sixth sense about people as well. I've watched it in action, which has given me a little reassurance, but I'm sure we'll have to work on that as time goes on. Things like this make me enquire within because in informing my daughter of how to Be in the world I also do not wish to scare her of it as too much of that kind of thinking can also hamper healthy development. A Healthy Caution is what I wish to teach and, of course with each new environment there will come into play a healthy set of protocols. I've seen, as you might've too, the extremes of this kind of conditioning. I'm sure, if anything I'll err on the side of a protective nature and hope the best for my child--development wise.
Even in thinking about the future, all of this is still so cute and makes me smile from ear to ear.