Freeze!

Darnit!  Another blown opportunity.  I'm so unprepared.  You'd think that, after 5 years, I'd be prepared.  But I'm not.  And that was proven, once again, Monday morning.

I was dropping K off at daycare, the same one L goes to after she's done with school for the day.  We're putting L's sheets in to her cubby and a thing of wipes fall to the floor.  A little girl that L's gone to daycare with for almost 5 years, looked at me and said, "Why does L still wear diapers?"

I stood there, stuffing the sheet into this tiny little box, my brain turning a million miles a minute.  Why does she?  Because she has sensory issues. Because she can't feel when she has to go.  Because it doesn't register that she's eliminating waste.  Because she doesn't know how to use the toilet.  Because she can't control those muscles yet.  Because, because, because. . .

I looked at this little girl, searching for words.  I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing a 5-year old would understand came to mind.  Nothing.  I looked at her, looked at the wipes K had picked up and was handing to me, looked back at her.  I just stood there, frozen.

Thank goodness her mom was still with her.  She looked at her little girl and said, "L's just not ready, honey."

Why didn't *I* think of that!?  Why didn't I think of something!?  I think I get stuck between people needing to know the "why" of things and just giving a simple, matter of fact answer.  "She's just not ready."

Hopefully next time, I'll be ready.