Meltdown
My oldest granddaughter is six years old. Grace is an intelligent, pretty girl. Her vocabulary is extensive enough to serve many adults well. Many days when it's least expected, Grace suddenly cries with gut wrenching sobs from a heart that must be irreparably broken. She finally manages to articulate her agony with words like " I dropped my toy on the floor of the back seat and I can't reach it." or " Henry won't give me the t.v. remote." At other times it may be that she can't find her favorite toy or shoes. When she's lost something she does a quick look without moving anything before she bursts into tears. No matter what the "traumatic" event is they all have one thing in common. No adult relative is asked to come to her aid. Nana and Mommy are just two "helpless bystanders". When one of us tries to sensibly assure her of our ability to help, she never treats our advice as a great a-ha moment. Even after her mother or I ha...