Stahlke Adoption

Desensitization

More on that kindergarten picnic (Gray, Attaching in Adoption, p. 131):

After the first two months of school, James' and Timmy's dad bought a beard, flannel shirt, and put a pillow under his shirt. The children had to approach him ten times, until they felt better. This was done with a lot of giggling.

Then, they made "the bad guy." They stuffed the shirt and some jeans with some newspapers, and made a head out of a stuffed paper sack--complete with a beard. Masking tape held him together. The kids jumped on him, kicked him, remade him, controlled him, mimicked remembered insults, and eventually ignored him.

By the next school event attended by parents, the boys were sure that they would not be confused by their classmate's father. "It is your choice," their father said. "We can either make the stuffed man again, or use the time to kick the soccer ball."

posted by Stahlkes @ 12:12 PM