I was worried that having a baby during the pandemic would lead to an overly shy, closed off, possibly socially awkward toddler. However, I think it has had the opposite effect.
My now two-year-old (her birthday is today) is extremely outgoing, almost to a fault.
She runs up to strangers and hugs them.
She has to wave to everyone she sees. She will make best friends with the cashier at the grocery store and makes herself completely at home wherever we go.
I sort of think it is because the only people she really saw in the first year of her life were family members and close friends. She didn’t meet any strangers, didn’t go to play groups or really explore the world at all. Everyone she came across was a loved one so she must think every human being is a friend and a good person.
The pandemic gave her rose-coloured glasses—which, as a mom, I’m totally okay with.
I’ve never really believed in teaching my children about stranger danger. I think most people are good.
Maybe I also have rose-coloured glasses on or I’m enjoying living in a small town full of friendly people.
Truly though, most people don’t want to harm a child. I try to teach my children about strange behaviour, not stranger danger.
And while most people are good, you’d be surprised how many people don’t wave back when a toddler waves at them. My daughter is always confused when she waves and the person just turns around or ignores her.
It breaks my heart. I’m sure she gets over it quickly, but still, it is unnecessary. It takes less than five seconds and only a handful of muscles to wave back.
According to non-verbalworld.com it’s our natural tendency to get attracted to things that move.
A hand wave becomes an attention seeker while we say “Hey” or “Hello” out loud. It can also mean “Do you see me?” or “I’m here.” When someone waves back, it means, they do. It feels good to be acknowledged.
Science has proven that we feel better when we watch others waving their hands.
Humans have been waving to each other since the beginning of time. It is a universal gesture. And so simple. What an easy and beautiful way to say, “I see you, I’m happy you are.”
And who doesn’t want to feel that?
So the next time a baby in the grocery store waves at you, feel special and return that feeling.
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@MariscaDekkema
marisca.bakker@interior-news.com
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