This morning Baby Bear, Daddy Bear and I headed out to get Santa photos. We made the trek down the mountain, found our favourite Santa, and waited in line to meet him. Before we left home, I asked Baby Bear if he wanted to meet Santa and have his photo taken with him – he said yes. When we were waiting in line, I asked him the same question – he still said yes – so I took him up to the chair to meet Santa. That was where things kind of went downhill (although it was not unexpected).
Baby Bear was a little koala, holding onto me tightly as we got closer to Santa. Santa was very nice. He asked what Baby Bear’s name is and spoke to him gently from a short distance away. He asked Baby Bear if he would like to just stand next to him, to which Baby Bear responded by covering his eyes with his hands. He then asked Baby Bear if he would just like to give him a high five, to which Baby Bear responded with ‘no, no, no’, still with his eyes covered. Santa then asked me how old he is, and nodded knowingly when I told him he is almost 2. He told me (what I already knew) that around this age most children are afraid or cautious around strangers. He then gave Baby Bear a Christmas colouring in book, we said thanks and Merry a Christmas to Santa and his helpers, and then we headed home.
We decided on a new Santa photo plan during the drive home. Our local shopping centre has Santa there during the week before Christmas. There is no professional photographers, but you can meet him and take your own photos. Daddy Bear and I decided we will try Baby Bear again when Santa arrives at our local shopping centre, and if he still is afraid of Santa, then the three of us will just have our photo taken in Santa’s chair, but without Santa there, and that will be our Christmas photo for this year. It is not worth making him upset, just for a photo. I know people say to just make him do it anyway, but why would I? He needs to know I respect his ‘no’, and that I’m always there for him if he is scared. If I force him to do something he doesn’t want to do, then the only thing he learns is that I don’t respect him or care enough about his feelings. I want him to know that his feelings always matter, and that he is always allowed to say ‘no’ (and have it respected). Do you do Santa photos?
The Three Bears 