To be healthy.
To get exercise for his body.
Both great.
And so that he doesn't get MS.
Oh no...
He is not the kind of kid who skips; or the kind who joins the miss-out-on-playground-time to skip in a gym full of girls.
The wheels are turning again. He thinks a lot about MS, and about health in general. It goes silent for a few months, then goes into full force. He worries about what is going to happen to me, and he worries that he'll get MS. Neither of those have definitive answers, so I reassure him as best I can. I show him the books I have that describe MS, and explain that it's not something he needs to worry about or can be "caused" by anything he might do. And that, with treatment, is a disease I can manage.
He's also been asking questions to adults other than me. How do people get MS? What causes it?
And he knows my nightly injection routine right down to ice-pack time.
I worry about him. Is this normal? How will this affect him now? And growing up?
Most of the time he's the most typical 6 year old boy I know. He loves Lego, being silly and running around like a lunatic. But other times, he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders.
It's hard. Most of the time I have no clue what to do.
There are always going to be reasons to worry about your kids. For anyone, anywhere.
Childhood anxiety is new to me. Especially now that I can see it rolling into other areas of his life.
Thoughts or experiences?
You know what Sarah, I think maybe a visit with a child psychologist might be a great idea. I had (mild) anxiety as a kid - and in hindsight, can see how it affected my life and how it might have helped to speak with someone who understands how kids think.
ReplyDeleteYou're an amazing mom, and I think it's only natural for a child to go through times of realization and worry. Its something I'll be looking into for both my kids. The oldest is five now, and I think within the next year or two, we'll give him a chance to talk it out with a specialist. Not only to help them, but to help us parents as well,
Big hugs. And hope you're feeling better very soon!