New Room for Toddler – Thanks Mr. Panda

Baby Brother got a new room and a new bed. I was concerned about the transition (namely, afraid he would refuse to transition at all).

When I tucked him in the first night, he called me into the room and held onto me for dear life. Things did not seem to be going as I’d hoped. Then I remembered the ole stuffed animal trick. “Do you want to sleep with a teddy bear?” I asked him.

His little eyes lit up. “Yes! Yes, I do!”

I frantically looked for one. But there wasn’t a single stuffed animal to be found! Finally, I spotted an unopened gift basket my father had coincidentally won at a raffle recently. Inside the wrap sat a brand new, snuggly soft panda bear. That should do the trick. I tore the wrap open, grabbed the panda, and brought it to Baby Brother praying it might allow me to tuck him in without a struggle.

When he saw the stuffed panda, my little one’s eyes widened in delight. He took the stuffed toy from my hands. “It’s a PANDA!” He  tucked the toy right in beside him.

I tucked him in, hugged him, and kissed him good night. And then I quietly stepped out of the room, leaving the hall light on in hopes Baby Brother wouldn’t feel afraid. It must have worked. When I went back to check on him after a few minutes, I overheard the following “conversation”:

Baby Brother: “Panda are you scared?”

Baby Brother pretending to be Panda: “No.”

Baby Brother: “Me neither. Good night!”

Baby Brother pretending to be Panda: “Good night.”

The next night, we repeated the process. I was afraid that perhaps this time, Baby Brother would put up a fight. No such thing. He got right into bed and tucked his new panda in beside him. Again, I checked on him soon after and overheard this conversation:

Baby Brother: “Panda, were you scared?”

Baby Brother pretending to be Panda: “No.”

Baby Brother: “I was but you helped me.”

Long pause.

Baby Brother: “Oh, funny jokes, Panda! Funny jokes.”

Such sweet little words. My guess was that Baby Brother was imagining that the panda was telling him funny jokes, and he was laughing along.

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