If you are anything like me, I refuse to clean up the chaos of the toddler imagination until the end of the day. My little man will play with just about every toy he owns all day long. If I even attempt to clean it up, the toys will appear again shortly after they have been put away.
The other day when B was playing I heard him making voices for his toys. He had a whole vision. He knew who the villain was, he knew who was going to be the hero, and he was ready to make his vision come to life. It was the coolest thing to listen to.
When I looked at all the hot wheels and monster trucks splayed out over the living room floor, I just saw a mess. What I didn’t see at the time was the mini hot wheels were trapped under a monster truck, there was another truck upside down, there was a firetruck and ambulance on the way to rescue, and the police car siren noise being made by B. He had a little toddler sized vision and played it out. The little voices he made were subtle comments of “Don’t worry sweety I am coming” and “Help is here!” He was the firetruck, the ambulance, the police car, the scared little hot wheels stuck under the monster truck all at once.
The things our kids say come from what they see, what they hear, and what they notice throughout their day to day lives. In that little vision B played out with his cars, I learned something. I learned that he understands what compassion is and that he somehow can be calm in a scary situation. I know it is only toys but the way he spoke to the mini hot wheels that were “trapped” under the monster truck told me he notices so much more than I realize. He was trying to make them feel safe and calm. He was trying to reassure them while they were scared in ways people in his life do for him.
The mess stopped looking like a mess after I let myself be still and just notice what he was doing. In those moments where his imagination is running wild, I see that he knows he is safe, he is heard, he is cared for with momma.
Watch your little ones play and listen to their conversations with their toys. What a gift it is to see B show these toys love and compassion that I try so hard to show him every day.
Let them make the messes. Let them have the freedom to express themselves. Let them be the little crazy toddler you love so much.
Let them.
-Em
The Single Momma 