Kiddo who’s so used to taking care of themself. Making their own pasta, cutting off their own crusts, filling their own cup, putting bandaids on their own owies. Kiddo who spent so long taking care of themselves and self soothing they don’t know how to act with a carer now looking out for them. Instinct tells them self soothe, to be quiet and take care of it themselves.
Their carer finds them all the time, standing on a stool to stir pasta they’re making, muffling their cries with a teddy bear or cleaning up their own scraped knees. And carer is trying to be patient, rushes in and tries to take over so kiddo knows they’re not alone and they’re being taken care of now.
“I tan do it…”
“I know you can, button. But I wanna do it for you, okay? I like taking care of you.”
