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Band-aid Therapy for Toddlers
My friend has been going through the bandaid therapy stage. This is when your toddler thinks that a bandaid can fix all evils, all hurts and generally brighten up their day. At the pinnacle of this fixation my friend’s daughter, Haley refused to leave the house without her prerequisite bandaid. It couldn’t be just any bandaid; it had to be a Wiggles bandaid. Pooh Bear and Bananas in Pyjamas just didn’t cut it.
Such was the importance of this fashion accessory that Haley refused to cover the bandaids. Clothes had to be worked around maximising exposure. One day Haley decided to wear a bandaid on her ear, despite her mother’s insistence that this was not necessary. Haley was single minded in her mission. The attention she received from strangers at the shopping centre was overwhelming and full of reinforcing sympathy. My friend distanced herself from the attention and did not even try to explain the reality of the situation; another “too hard basket” parenting dilemma.
Fortunately, my friend was aware that it was common for toddlers to have periods of being obsessed about certain rituals, clothes or things. She was able to accept her daughter’s behaviour, and although at times tempted, refrained from entering power struggles.
Parentline receives calls from parents wanting to know if it is normal for their toddler to insist that their meals be served on a particular plastic plate or that the peas must be on a different plate to the potato. Other callers become worried about their 3 year old who has worn the same pink princess or Spiderman outfit every day for two months. The task of keeping such a well-worn outfit clean challenges even the most resourceful of parents. Parents often want to explore when should they give in to the fetish and when should they set limits.
My friend was able to accommodate the bandaid fashion hiccup. It did not do anyone harm and it seemed to give Haley genuine pleasure and sense of control. After a few weeks Hayley was cutting a tooth. She was in pain and decided to use the panacea of all ills; a Wiggles bandaid. Her mother tried to give a quick explanation on the limited sticking properties of bandaids but Haley was not listening. This was one thing she needed to work out for herself, resulting in a very frustrated and upset child. Hayley’s faith in the bandaid had been challenged and over time it diminished. Eventually things returned to normal. Recently she even accepted a plain brown bandaid when she had cut herself. The magic and power of the special Wiggles bandaid had disappeared.
This article was prepared by the staff of Parentline.
Parentline is a Statewide telephone counselling, information and referral service for parents and carers with children aged from birth to eighteen years. Professional counsellors are able to explore a variety of parenting issues and are available 8am to midnight Monday – Friday and 10am – 10pm on weekends. Parentline counsellors can be contacted on 13 22 89.