The Kicking Wall
Miss A is my night owl. She is my thumb sucker. She is my wall kicker.
Some children have a favorite blankie or lovie, some children cling to a favorite stuffed toy until it is threadbare and loved to the point of raggedness. My child loves her kicking wall.
We spent seven nights at the beach, which was the longest amount of time either of the girls had spent away from their own rooms, their own beds, their own sheets and blankets.
The girls had a wonderful time, but as the week came to a close they started talking about missing home at bedtime. I was helping Miss A put on her teal and pink doggie pajamas the next to the last night of vacation and she looked at me with sunkissed cheeks and said woefully, “I miss my kicking wall mommy.” I’ve never before heard her refer to her bedroom wall as her “kicking wall.” Although I packed pillows from home and a few stuffed animals, they were just temporary comforts. I just hope she eventually outgrows kicking her bedroom wall at night to wind down, or she’ll never be able to find a college roommate.
