Arden and Caillou

Ever seen that annoying four year old bald kid on PBS named Caillou?  Yeah, well that's Arden's mentor. I've mentioned several times before that Arden loves Caillou.  She doesn't just love him, she's obsessed with watching him.  Wanna threaten Arden with something?  Threaten to take Caillou priveleges away from her. ;)

I first learned of Caillou when Halle was about 18 months old.  She liked him, but thankfully she was more concerned with Care Bears at the time.  Caillou would annoy the crap out of me.  He was whiny, his mommy was too nice and patient with him (in my opinion), and he wasn't very cute.

Fast forward 9 years.  Now I have a four year old with the exact same personality as Caillou.  Now I get Caillou.  Now I understand his mom and the way she handles him.  Caillou and Arden are strong-willed, persistent, and untrusting.  They are rule followers, but before they follow the rules, they have to understand why the rule is there.  They won't do something just because everyone else does it.  They aren't going to just take your word for something.  You have to coax them, explain them, answer every question they have, and reassure them.  They are going to do things on their own time (yes, yes, I know, I've heard it a million times, she gets that from me ;)  But those same qualities make her loyal and obedient and she follows through with what she says she will do.

Now Caillou is one of my favorite people, lol.  Caillou helps her and me because Arden routinely uses episodes of Caillou to reassure herself and encounter challenges in her everyday life.

Ex 1:  Caillou was scared of going trick or treating because of all of the scary costumes.  Through out the episode, he learns that they are just pretend and that are meant for fun.  When Arden went trick-or-treating, she started talking to herself.  "I'm scared of the faces just like Caillou, but I know that they are just pretend and I don't have to be scared.  I'm going to be brave."  And she was!
Ex 2:  I told Arden we were going to an ice skating class.  In the past she has been scared to ice skate and freak out because she didn't want to fall.  I could talk to her and coax her, but she was still nervous.  Her response this time "Just like Caillou!  He went with his older friend, Sarah, to her ice skating class.  And he learned that falling was ok!"

I could go on and on.  I guess she just relates to his character so much.  She learns so much from this bald dude.  She absorbs everything from the shows, including education type stuff.

Although it's hard to be Arden's parent at times, I know that these same character traits will make her into a strong adult that will not be easily swayed.  I love my Arden Rose.  

So here's to Caillou, my accomplice!