The Kids are Alright

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 8:38am by Cailus Griffin & Lieutenant Kalin Brennan-Griffin PhD & Emilie Temple & Eva Griffin
Edited on on Tue Jul 7th, 2020 @ 1:50pm

Mission: Into the Wild
Location: Deck 5 - Daycare

A Mission Post by Emilie Temple & Lieutenant Kalin 'Shae' Brennan PhD & Lieutenant JG Cailus Griffin & Aoife Brennan
Mission: Into The Wild
Location: Deck 5 - Daycare
Timeline:
Sat Dec 16th, 2017 @ 8:47am


Aoife was not having a good day!

At first the little fox-like child showed little interest in the rambunctious human girl who liked to play on the jungle gym; they played with blocks together when their parents had been there to provide an introduction, but after that Katrine went back to the gym and Aoife went back to her quiet solo-play. But the days progressed and Aoife began to grow stronger, eventually getting her little leg braces to help her walk, and she began to grow more curious of Katrine and the jungle gym she seemed so fond of; all that climbing did look like a lot of fun! And so it happened that one day Aoife put her blocks away and with Nurse Davies' help made her way over to the jungle gym. With her bright blue eyes, Aoife watched Katrine play with rapt fascination, and finally she approached a ladder to climb up to join Katrine. Aoife needed lots of support to ensure she didn't fall, but having watched Katrine do this lots of times, she figured out how to climb quickly enough.

Once she was successfully on the first level of the play gym, Katrine joined Aoife and it was instant friendship! Even with Aoife unable to speak back, that didn't stop Katrine's excited chatter, and she helped show Aoife all over the gym and how to play. Nurse Davies smiled warmly as she watched from outside the gym as Aoife slowly navigated the gym and all the climbing obstacles, but she noticed the hints of frustration in Aoife as Katrine's boundless energy got the better of her, causing Aoife to feel left behind, especially when they got to the monkey bars and Aoife wasn't willing to brave them, even with Rebekah's help. Rebekah knew it wasn't intentional that Katrine was rushing ahead, kids were kids and this striking difference between the two girls was helping to motivate Aoife out of her comfort zone, but she also knew the effects that frustration could have on a child's rehabilitation.

Rebekah picked up Aoife to bring her to the other side of the monkey bars, allowing the fox-child to follow after her energetic new friend once again, but Katrine was so fast and Aoife was starting to feel so helpless. This gym-thing had looked like so much fun before, but she wasn't having much fun now; this was more work than her physical therapy, and at least Rebakah made that fun! After a while, Aoife allowed herself to plop onto her backside with a pout in the middle of the gym, resolved to not do anymore! Rebekah knew Aoife was simply tired, not to mention frustrated that Katrine was so much more capable than she, but she also knew that tomorrow Aoife would undoubtedly try again because this child never gave up until she conquered whatever was in front of her!

"Miss Katrine, thank you for playing with Aoife; I know she can't say it herself yet, but I know she was happy to have someone to play with," Rebekah said as she slipped into the gym to go retrieve the pouting Aoife.

Katrine looked up at the woman with a proud and toothy grin. "I think she said it, just in her own way." She stated matter of factly, as if the Nurse should have known this. "Maybe we can do the slide tomorrow, Affie." Katrine called out as she waved the two goodbye.

"Ee-fa," Rebekah enunciated in correction to Katrine as she picked up Aoife. But Aoife was in such a bad mood by this point that she started growling slightly as Rebkah carried her out. "Uh oh, what's with that attitude, Missy?" Rebekah asked Aoife playfully, to which Aoife responded by biting Rebekah's arm to indicate that she was not getting them out of there fast enough. "Ow! Okay, little Miss Moody, there's no need for biting! Am I going to have to call your mother down here?" Rebekah scolded as she set Aoife down on the padded flooring outside the jungle gym. Holding tight to Rebekah's hand to maintain her balance, Aoife tried to walk back to her blocks, but her poor spindly legs were so tired now that all she could was fall onto her backside again. Aoife issued a growl a frustration as she tried to get back up, and Rebekah knew that Aoife was one more flop away from a full tantrum.

Emilie entered from the outside corridor, having spent the afternoon dining with Lieutenant Wakefield. She gave a knowing smile to Nurse Davies as she saw her struggling with Aoife. "Bad day?" She enquired gently.