A discussion I was recently involved in brought up the idea that we each have a wounded inner child within us. I would like to talk about what each of us does to take care of that inner child.

Anyone?

For me:

1. I recognize he wants to play. Donnie is very simple and shy
2. I take him to the playground.
3. I take him to see the aquariums around town.
4. I take him for some ice cream - actually ice milk or coconut milk as DJ is lactose intolerant.
5. Donnie is my little buddy who is protected now and loved.

And for now he needs to scream and cry at times. We just finished T group so He cried knowing he is not alone anymore. He hurts for his friends.

What a great topic!!!

Next?

I have model trains. I have a teddy bear I sleep with sometimes when I think he is lonely and sad. Ice cream seems to help at times. (cheesy grin).

I go see movies I think someone his age would like and I still indulge in watching and reading science fiction, which is his favorite.

I tell him how proud I am of what he did to keep me sane. That I love him and am not mad at him anymore and do not blame him anymore.

I accept his personality in me and nurture it by being playful and silly at times.

Sometimes I just take the day and veg out. Go to the mall and kick around or buy some toy.

He knows he is loved. He knows he is accepted. He knows I approve of him completely now.

All of that took a lot of time to get to and was very painful requiring me to face some tough truths about myself. He and I both feel now that it was worth it.

I bought mine a pair of shoes.



The size I think he was when "it" happened. Just like he was wearing.

Wow! What a jolt!

That really gets to ya'. It's an object lesson that packs a wallop.

Allen

pufferfish

Little Jimmie likes taking long baths. I start the bath with hot water, he gets in it and closes his eyes feeling the warmth and listening to the very soothing sound of the water. He never uses soap or shampoo. He especially likes it when it is cold outside.

Jim

Regrettably I don't do enough, except smoke and drink to soothe myself and to relieve stress whenever I ruminate too much, which I don't suppose counts when it comes to taking care of my inner child. Perhaps though this isn't taking care of anything, except suppressing memories of trauma. There are moments though when I truly feel care free. It may sound silly but playing with my cat tends to take me away from everything. I've always had cats, ever since I was a little kid, so maybe this is a connection to something. JS

Curling up in bed, giving him time to grieve and sob, not rushing it.

Clutching a photo of him as a 6 yr old to my heart, and telling him I love him.

ClaretBlue

I don't do as much as I should either.

I have a teddy bear that I had made that sits on my bed, and I cuddle with him sometimes. I'd like to find a place I could go play on the play structures and not draw strange looks, but I haven't found one yet.

I must admit that key decision in taking my current job was Mike. I'm a camp director and 10 months out of the year Mike gets to play and hang out with other kids playing basketball, volleyball, singing camp songs and helping me direct and teach classes.

I also spend time tring to discover who he was (other than the abuse I really don't remember 5th-12th grades) and visualizing him and I together - me being the parent he deserved as a child. I also write him letters and journal alot. I do know that Mike loves horror movies so I rent them and have a boys night.

As a matter of fact, Mike is pretty damn excited right now - I just got word that I will be directing a week long canoe trip this summer along the Minnesota/Canada border. Whohoo!

Donnie gets to take a couple of trips in 2010.

One of them will be to a WoR and the other with be a canoe trip in the boundary waters along the Minnesota/Canada Border.

Donnie loves to fish and hike and camp.

Mike your job sounds absolutely exciting.

Donnie.