After his First Birthday Party, Shi-u's growth slowed down. It felt like a lie that I used to see big changes every week.
Now at 13 months old, Shi-u could go down the slide by himself, walk around easily, and express himself well. If there was one regret, it would be that I couldn't give him a variety of experiences. The apartment we lived in had various facilities, but there weren't any that a child who just passed their First Birthday Party could use. There was a playroom, but it was a place better suited for toddlers over the age of three.
There weren't many kids around the same age, so there weren't many opportunities to let him play with others. At least there was Ye-rin, but they couldn't always be together.
"Shi-u, shall we go outside?"
"Shiyeo."
"Why?"
"Shiyeo!"
Shi-u didn't look at me and walked towards the slide.
The weather's nice though....
"Then shall we go see Ye-rin?"
Shi-u seemed to flinch at those words.
"Shiyeo!"
Since Ye-rin was born first, her development was faster than Shi-u's, and it wasn't easy for Shi-u to beat her. So, when they were together, he was always pushed around or dragged around by Ye-rin. Is that why? Shi-u started avoiding Ye-rin.
He plays well alone, but he needs to meet other people too.
What should I do?
"Forcing him too much wouldn't be good, right?"
If I forced Shi-u to learn social skills, it would become stressful for him.
"It's difficult."
I knew raising a child was difficult, but I felt it anew.
"Mom?"
Shi-u had come near me before I knew it, and he was looking at me with an anxious expression.
It seems my actions made Shi-u anxious.
"Ta-da."
I immediately showed Shi-u the snack that was nearby.
"Mamma!"
"Yeah, you can eat it."
Shi-u started eating the snack he held in both hands deliciously. In the afternoon, I read Shi-u a fairy tale. He didn't understand all the content yet, but he understood the situations depicted in the pictures to some extent.
"Sleepy?"
"No."
It's nap time, but he's not trying to sleep again today. He sleeps well at night, so I guess it's okay?
Shi-hyun, who came back from work at night, bought another toy. He already has a lot of toys, but this one he bought was different from the ones at home.
"This is...."
"It's a shape-matching block."
It was a toy in the form of putting blocks of the same shape into a box with holes.
"Looks good."
"Right? Shi-u, Daddy bought you a toy."
When Shi-hyun held out the toy to Shi-u, he let out a high-pitched sound and rejoiced. Shi-hyun, with his daddy-like face, is also cool.
I prepared dinner while Shi-hyun played with Shi-u.
While doing so, I watched how he played with him. Shi-hyun showed Shi-u the toy and showed him how to put one block into the hole. After that, he didn't do anything and left him alone. Then Shi-u tried to put the block into the hole, imitating what Shi-hyun had done. But the shape didn't match, so it didn't go in properly.
"Bba-ya."
"Do it yourself."
Shi-u called for Shi-hyun and looked at him for help. But Shi-hyun was heartless.
Shi-u, with his cheeks puffed out, slammed the block down to put it in. Frustrated that it didn't work the way he wanted, Shi-u got angry.
"Seong Shi-u."
When Shi-hyun called his name, his actions stopped abruptly. Daddy is incredibly scary.
After a hard struggle, Shi-u succeeded in putting one block in.
"Good job."
Perhaps he was happy with Shi-hyun's praise, he grabbed another block and tried to put it in. He looks happy.
In the meantime, dinner was ready.
"Let's eat dinner."
Shi-u and Shi-hyun got up at the same time at my words. I can't help but find that sight funny.
It was a harmonious and happy dinner time.
"Do you have any worries these days?"
After dinner, while resting on the sofa, Shi-hyun brought up those words.
"Worries?"
"Don't you?"
Hmm... if I do, it's probably about Shi-u.
"It seems like Shi-u really doesn't like going outside."
"Really?"
"He plays well alone, but even if I want to take him somewhere, there's nowhere to go."
Back in our childhood, there were many playgrounds. But these days, it's hard to see them.
If it's an apartment, there should be a playground, but it seems like it was replaced with a playroom, so there wasn't one.
"Then shall we go out to play tomorrow?"
"Where to?"
"Anywhere."
Would he be able to go out if Shi-hyun is with us?
"Let's do that."
After worrying about where to go specifically, the place we decided on was a theme park. An animation character theme park that kids like. Shi-u doesn't know the character, but wouldn't he still enjoy it without any problems?
"Shi-u, let's go out to play tomorrow."
"Shiyeo!"
He says he doesn't like it just by hearing that we're going out.
*
The next day, I ignored Shi-u's opinion and went out. It was amazing that he said he didn't like it, but he actually liked it when I took him out.
He really liked it when I put him in the push car that his dad gave him as a gift.
"Bung-bung!"
"Yeah, bung-bung."
"Are you sure he doesn't like it?"
"W, well, maybe?"
"He only says that, but he actually likes it, doesn't he?"
"Maybe?"
I don't make Shi-u do something if he says he doesn't like it. Unless it's really important, I don't force him too much.
Actually, wasn't Shi-u not being true to his feelings?
He disliked it a little when he got out of the push car and into a real car. But he quickly sparkled his eyes when we arrived at the theme park.
I looked around the theme park with Shi-u in the push car. There were many things that a baby would like. Shi-u showed interest in various things and was able to experience them. However, there were a lot of people.
Even though it was a weekday, there were so many people that the waiting time was long.
"Bung-bung!"
Shi-u enjoyed playing even during the waiting time. I should bring him to places like this often.
Now that his essential vaccinations are almost over, it should be okay to go to crowded places.
Was it because he played for a long time from morning to afternoon? Shi-u started to doze off, so we left the theme park. And when he got in the car, Shi-u started to take a nap for the first time in a while.
"Was he lacking activity?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Shi-u hasn't been napping lately."
"And?"
"I think the reason he's napping today is because he usually only stays at home, so he doesn't get enough activity."
"You're just trying to listen to Shi-u too much."
"Really?"
"Sometimes you have to speak sternly, force him to go out, and get angry if he says he doesn't like it."
That might be right. But I couldn't do that. It hurts my heart?
"T, that's...."
I know that discipline is also necessary. I left it all to Shi-hyun.
"Take him out alone tomorrow."
"Okay...."
When Shi-u arrived home, he was refreshed as if he had finished his nap.
Then he played with a toy similar to the one he played with at the theme park today.
"He plays well, but...."
"Mom, moo."
"Moo?"
"Moou."
It's water.
"Here."
I poured water into Shi-u's plastic cup and gave it to him. Shi-u grabbed the cup with both hands and skillfully tilted his head back to drink.
"I drank it all."
"Yeah!"
When I received the cup, Shi-u started playing again.
Since we went outside, I gave Shi-u a clean bath in the evening. Shi-u likes water, so he swam in the bathtub. I wonder if he'll become a swimmer instead of a Hunter?
*
The next day, Shi-hyun left for work before lunch. He won't be able to come back for a few days.
I fell into 고민.
Before leaving, Shi-hyun told me to take Shi-u outside even if he didn't like it. But is that really okay? Actually, wasn't the reason he liked it yesterday because Shi-hyun was next to him, because he was scared of his dad?
I had many worries, but I first asked Shi-u if he was willing to go out.
"Shi-u, shall we go out today?"
"Shiyeo!"
"Do you really not like it?"
"Shiyeo!"
Shi-u was avoiding my gaze. Does he really not like it? Or does he just want to rebel?
It's difficult. I'm 고민. Then I remembered what Shi-hyun had said.
Sometimes you have to get angry and stuff?
"Shi-u! Let's go out."
Shi-u had a sulky look on his face, but he put on his clothes more willingly than I thought. And when I prepared the stroller as the last step, Shi-u got very angry.
"Bung-bung!"
"What?"
"Bung-bung!"
It seems Shi-u wants the push car, not the stroller. I prepared a stroller with a sunshade because I thought the sun would be hot....
I carefully put the stroller in the hallway and took out the push car. Only then did Shi-u smile brightly.
Shi-u liked it when I put him in the push car and pushed him out.
"Weren't you saying you didn't like going out?"
Shi-u didn't answer.
"Bung-bung."
I took a walk in the park with the push car. The sunny spring weather welcomed us.
"The park has been completely fixed too."
Well, the incident happened last year, so it would be a problem if they didn't fix it.
When I went to the shelter, there were more people than I thought. Among them, there was an uncomfortable face. The woman who was the leader of the group. The women I had seen before were still around her.
She saw me and came over.
"Long time no see."
"It has been."
"Why don't you come out often? Are you perhaps uncomfortable with us...?"
It was a direct statement, but there was a slightly sulky? kind of feeling in it.
"Ah, it's not that, it's just that my son doesn't really like going outside."
"Really? He seems to be playing well for someone who doesn't like it?"
When I looked at Shi-u, he was already talking to the other kids who had come over, saying things I couldn't understand. It must be kids' language. I was worried that he wouldn't be able to join the conversation properly because he was the youngest, but he wasn't scared of the other kids or showing any shyness.
After seeing that, I had nothing to say. She was still looking at me. Then her face turned slightly red.
"Anyway, don't be too uncomfortable with us."
"It's really not like that."
She's a surprisingly gentle person. Like when she apologized back then and said thank you.
"Mom, Mom."
"Why?"
Shi-u reached out his hand to be hugged. As soon as I hugged him, he hit my arm to be put down right away.
When I put Shi-u down on the ground, he waddled towards the other kids on his own two feet.
I couldn't help but watch that. The methods I used to teach Shi-u social skills might have been wrong from the start. It was something he could naturally learn just by meeting kids his age.
Still, I was worried, so I watched from the side. The other moms were the same, unable to take their eyes off them.
Shi-u followed the other kids better than I thought. The oldest child led them well, making sure no one was left behind. I could see that this is what social skills are.
Sometimes I should come out without asking Shi-u's opinion.