Monsters

Interestingly, with Duncan's full-time preschool status has come a preoccupation with monsters. He's only been full-time in the preschool room for four days, and on at least three of those days he has asked Jamie or me to tell him monster stories.  When he's not asking for stories about them, he is repeating his new mantra "I love monsters."  Mind you, it was not that long ago that he banished Leonardo, the Terrible Monster and his Wild Thing from his room because they were scary.  (Sorry Wild Thing.  I know you have a name, but I don't know what it is.)  Also, when he first started transitioning to the preschool room, the only fear he expressed was that the books were "scary."  Now, I might be reading too much into this, but I do have a lot of psychology under my belt so it's kind of what I do in my "free time."  So I have two theories about the monsters.  

1.  Some kids in the preschool room who watch more T.V. and videos than Duncan have been talking about monsters, and he is afraid of them.  Asking for stories about monsters is his way of taking ownership of them and desensitizing himself against his fear of them.  It's kind of a psychological self-medication.  

2.  The monsters embody his fears of being in a new situation with new responsibilities.  Asking for stories about monsters is his way of expressing those fears to us in a safe environment where we can talk him through his fears and reassure him that everything. Since our stories are often funny, they allow him to conquer his fears.  In fact, his "FAVORITE" monster story today was one in which monsters go to school where they have circle time, read books, and learn to be scary.

Now I have a new theory.  3=1+2.

The week is definitely going better.  Duncan ate most of his lunch, had no time outs, and had one accident, but he also asked to go to the potty on his own before lunch.  

I, on the other hand, have monsters under my bed, where Duncan left them for safe keeping.  

P.S.  The Wild Thing under the bed is Moishe.