I'm from Pittsburgh area. My parents still live there. It's about 300 miles to get there, or roughly six hours, given the occasional pit stop.
A little less than 16 years ago, we took Oldest Daughter and her foster brother out to visit my folks. Oldest had proved herself excellent at entertaining herself on the trip before, with the Elmo Toy From Hell and other diversions as may occur to a 2-year-old on a long trip, such as naps and shouting "Again! Again!" every time her favorite Jimmy Buffet track had ended.
But Lumpy? We had no idea. He was only beginning to discover how to play at our house, and we had no idea how he would fare in a car.
We needn't have worried, Since he had come to stay at our house six weeks or so earlier, Lumpy and Oldest had bonded quickly. Besides dressing him in her best princess clothes and flowery head bands, she ran around the house with him, played "This little piggy" on his toes once her language skills had reached that point, and consistently challenged and engaged him in regular, wholesome play. She was just beyond his ability, and just his size, so they made for natural engagement.
For example, you probably knew that if you cover yourself or your child with a blanket, and then pull the blanket away, you can shout "Peek-a-boo!" and have lots of fun together, You probably also know that it teaches object permanency, the idea that things continue to exist even when we can't se them, and that after you're bored with it and are ready to hang yourself with your child's blanket, she will want to keep the fun going for hours more.
And if she has a foster brother in the back seat with her, it can.
A little less than 16 years ago, we took Oldest Daughter and her foster brother out to visit my folks. Oldest had proved herself excellent at entertaining herself on the trip before, with the Elmo Toy From Hell and other diversions as may occur to a 2-year-old on a long trip, such as naps and shouting "Again! Again!" every time her favorite Jimmy Buffet track had ended.
But Lumpy? We had no idea. He was only beginning to discover how to play at our house, and we had no idea how he would fare in a car.
We needn't have worried, Since he had come to stay at our house six weeks or so earlier, Lumpy and Oldest had bonded quickly. Besides dressing him in her best princess clothes and flowery head bands, she ran around the house with him, played "This little piggy" on his toes once her language skills had reached that point, and consistently challenged and engaged him in regular, wholesome play. She was just beyond his ability, and just his size, so they made for natural engagement.
For example, you probably knew that if you cover yourself or your child with a blanket, and then pull the blanket away, you can shout "Peek-a-boo!" and have lots of fun together, You probably also know that it teaches object permanency, the idea that things continue to exist even when we can't se them, and that after you're bored with it and are ready to hang yourself with your child's blanket, she will want to keep the fun going for hours more.
And if she has a foster brother in the back seat with her, it can.
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