I took Child Development in College. However, I don't remember anything about the belly button stage. Little Bean and her friends have to show and check out each others belly buttons before they begin to play. Its kind of like when dogs meet and they sniff each others.... well you know what I mean. The other day I felt a little bad, when the toddlers met up at the swimming pool. They all had 1 piece suits and didn't know what to do. It took them awhile to warm up to each other, but not as quick as their usual belly button greetings. Interesting uh?
Well, I think I need to write a letter to Erickson and Piaget. Are they still alive?
Come to think of it, I don't remember learning about the "got to use and check out every bathroom, in each store and gas station theory" either. Its kind of like how dogs grace every yard (I got to quit comparing my children to dogs). Anyway, my older daughter went through this stage for sure. It lasted from when she was 4 years old until she was 10. .... very long stage. During this time, I got to see bathrooms, I wish I had never seen. We even were offered bathrooms at gas stations, that have signs saying "No public restrooms". That should of been my first clue.
A quick way to move on from this stage is to travel to a developing country and use the bathroom at the Zoo. They will never do it again... trust me.
Note: Make sure they are aware of smells and are disgusted by really uncleaned bathrooms . Also note: take wet wipes and a clean set of clothes for your child to change into (but clean up somewhere else). Also take a mask and gloves, if you go into the bathroom with them (you might not once you approach the building and smell and realize it wasn't the animals' cages) .
Oh, one more note: Once they move on from this stage, they move onto another interesting, just as frustrating stage that these Theorist don't mention in their text books. So, if you are afraid to move on to the next stage, don't try this method.
Alright, forget Piaget and Erickson, I am writing my own stages of development.
2 comments:
My mom recently told me when I was that age I did the exact same thing. Even if I just went to the bathroom ten minutes earlier, I had to check out the facilities in each and every new place we went. For the life of me I can't remember why I wanted to do this. Now I am bordering OCD when it comes to public restrooms. I hate the toilets, I have to wash my hands before leaving, and I hate to touch the back of the bathroom door to leave. I know it doesn't sound that bad, but it is.
Allie - I have to ask my mom if I did the same. I do remember her teaching us to put toilet paper around the toilet or stand on it, so our butts didn't come in contact with previous butt gems. She also taught us to use paper towels or our shirt sleeve to open the door after we washed our hands. I still do today. I can't stand using public restrooms either.
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