https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:59:45 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/los-new-experiences#post-1645867 Tue, 20 May 2014 06:01:31 +0000 Weagle 1645867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We encourage LO to try things, and will talk he through them, but we don't push it to the point of her being scared or crying. We would (and have) done the same as you. Put the food in her hand for the goat, or hold her hand to help her pet the animals. Now that she can verbalize most of her feelings, it's a lot easier to navigate those situations. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/los-new-experiences#post-1645862 Tue, 20 May 2014 05:54:23 +0000 hilsy85 1645862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: ha the large mooing cow at the petting zoo here scares LO too! He has yet to overcome his fear though :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/los-new-experiences#post-1645767 Mon, 19 May 2014 23:41:01 +0000 immabeetoo 1645767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We typically demonstrate or talk about it but ultimately leave his actions up to him. It's important to us to respect if he says no or indicates he doesn't want to do something (within reason obviously some things aren't up for debate). He is pretty brave in general but often we find he will come back on his own to touch something after his initial fear. The only one I can think of is the large mooing cow at the kids museum! He is so proud when he pets it now after so many weeks of crying when he saw\heard it. DH grew up in very much a "push kids to try stuff and face fears" environment and he turned out just fine, but we've decided to take a different approach. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/los-new-experiences#post-1645728 Mon, 19 May 2014 22:23:28 +0000 shopaholic 1645728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've got quite a bit of an independent daredevil, so I haven't really experienced this yet. But if we come across this one day, I would encourage/push a little. Like you did, hold/stay close so she knows she's safe. I wouldn't her to leave every time she was scared or nervous. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/los-new-experiences#post-1645533 Mon, 19 May 2014 20:15:01 +0000 photojane 1645533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: Same. I would never throw her out into a field of goats and say, "MAKE IT WORK!" But, Sadie is super inquisitive, so she's always really happy to watch things happen. She's definitely not as inclined to participate. I've noticed that if I'm not encouraging her to participate in new activities, she won't. If I don't sit with her, put the grass in her hand, and help her feed the goat the first time, she won't do it. She'd just watch the other kids do it from a distance &amp; point/talk about it. Turns out she loves goats! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/los-new-experiences#post-1645527 Mon, 19 May 2014 20:11:42 +0000 blackbird 1645527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Life is uncomfortable and scary. I want her to experience it while I'm right there with her, so she knows it's okay. I don't want her to be fearful or timid, but experience caution and triumph </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/los-new-experiences#post-1645526 Mon, 19 May 2014 20:10:40 +0000 Anagram 1645526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am more like you, and my husband is like your husband! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/los-new-experiences#post-1645523 Mon, 19 May 2014 20:09:08 +0000 hilsy85 1645523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I try to encourage him to explore new things, but in a way that is comfortable for him. For instance, in your example, if he were afraid, I would have held him and not pushed him toward the animals or made him touch them or anything, but I would have walked around, touched the animals myself, and talked about it with him, and asked him if he wanted to touch them. I wouldn't have forced him to do so, however. And if he didn't touch them, or leave my arms, that's ok! I think for some kids, it can take a few times to warm up to new experiences. </p> <p>I think there is value in being uncomfortable while trying new things, but I never want him to feel unsafe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/los-new-experiences#post-1645514 Mon, 19 May 2014 20:06:41 +0000 photojane 1645514@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When it comes to new experiences, do you encourage your LO to do things they don't like? Or, do you just accept that they don't like it &amp; let them do their own thing?</p> <p>I definitely try to encourage new experiences, while my husband doesn't want Sadie to ever be uncomfortable. To me, she won't know if she really likes something unless she really gets to experience it. She needs to see that it won't hurt her, dada/mama's here, and it can actually be fun. I hate to see her sad/scared/uncomfortable, of course, but she always ends up having tons of fun in the end. The hubs' philosophy: "She'll figure it out one day - don't let her cry/feel uncomfortable now."</p> <p>I guess I don't want her to be a fearful, nervous person!</p> <p>For example, she was scared of some of the animals at the petting zoo, but once I made her sit with me and experience it, she realized they weren't so scary... they were actually really fun! If my husband had his way, she would've been allowed to leave, and never had that fun experience. </p> <p>Do you prefer to let your kids experiences on their timeline or do you encourage/push them to do new things? </p>