Hi all
Dad here....
I have been blessed with 3 little kids who I share with my ex - and they're REALLY great kids - of 14 (boy), 13 and 9 (girls).
My little-est little girl is quite simply the happiest, smiling-est, funny and creative little kid. She's like a little piece of sunshine wherever she goes. She refuses to grow up, which on one hand makes her as cute as a button (which she no-doubt plays to!! She loves an audience!!!). As to the other hand, this may well be a part of my concern.
Ever since she was very small, she has laughed through everything. When her mum and I would have the most vocal and horrible of screaming fights, the older two kids were in tears, but llttle one just sang and giggled through it all. I have no doubt this was a defence mechanism, but my fear is that her eternal "happiness" is hiding something deeper. Some form of softness that might have well be hard-wired into her shell (or sub-conscience). I worry about her being significantly more fragile than she gives out, and I worry for her future. I would hate for her to "wake up" when she's 23, for example, and then this torrent of hurt and angry feelings comes pouring out, leaving her emotionally fragile.
To be clear, there has been no event that has occasioned this concern. To all and sundry she is just a ball of sweetness - et voila! I am just being (hopefully too..) cautious...
I am trying to find a way that I can dig deeper with her without potentially causing damage or making something that is lurking there, to burst out.
Does anyone out there have any ideas based on a similar scenario???
Thanks