Anxieties about the future

Elise has started to think about the future and all the scary things that come along with it.  Today in the car, she was telling us how she doesn't want to grow up because she's afraid of driving.  Here's what basically happened:

Elise: I don't want to grow up to be a mommy.
Me: Why?
Elise: I don't know how to drive a car.
Me: But you will learn how to drive a car when you get older.
Elise: Even if I go to car school, I still won't know how to do it.  I won't know how to get to different places.
Bryant: That is what the phone is for!  You can use it to tell you how to get to places.
Elise: But even if I have a phone, I won't understand what she is saying and then I won't know how to go somewhere.
Me: You will learn all of those things as you grow up.
Elise: No, I won't.  I don't know if I should go this way or that way.  Even if I go to car school and even if I have a phone, I won't know how to do it.
Me: (sensing that this is really stressing her out)-- it's OK, you can just take the train.
Elise: But I can't take the train anywhere.  I can't take it to church.
Me: You can just use Uber.  You don't have to drive.  If you do Uber, someone else will drive for you.
Elise: I never, ever want to drive a car.  I need to always be with mommy or daddy so that I don't have to drive.  I'm worried I won't know which way to go.  Like if you tell me to go to Guppy House, and even if I learn at car school how to drive to Guppy House, I'm worried that I still won't know where Guppy House is.  And then I'll miss it."

Another conversation that happened today while Elise was taking a bath:

Elise: I don't want to grow up to be a mommy.
Bryant: Why?
Elise: Because I don't want to brush (shave) my legs because it's owie.
Bryant: You don't have to shave your legs.  You don't even have hair.
Elise:  But I do, I have little tiny hairs.
Bryant: You don't need to shave your legs.  You can just leave it the way it is.
Elise: OK!  (happy)



So fascinating to see what goes on in the mind of a 3-year old!!!  I remember I used to have nightmares about driving when I was young since I was also anxious about driving at a very young age.  I was amazed that my parents seemed to know exactly where to go all the time and I couldn't figure it out.  So interesting to see it come up with Elise!