There’s no question that Emma was a very sensitive child. In fact, despite her demeanor of bravado and her willingness to perform in front of hundreds of people without a blink of an eye, I would describe her as somewhat fearful.
Her fearfulness did present some challenges to her, especially when she was younger. She needed to observe new situations before she could join in. She didn’t like loud noises or to be taken by surprise. Halloween set her on edge for the whole month of October and she regarded clowns as public enemy number one. The circus was not even an option until she was nearly a teenager.
She was also very sensitive about what she watched or listened to. As a result, she watched nothing but public children’s television and carefully selected videos until she was probably 10 or older. Even then, though, she was occasionally exposed to something that made her uncomfortable. I remember times when she was 3 or 4 that she would come get me if I was out of the room when the shows would change or she’d get to a suspenseful part of a Disney movie. “Mommy, you need to turn off the TV. Something’s on that’s inappropriate!”
Emma and I had a wonderful time at Hershey Park watching all the Girl Scouts ride the rides. No interest at all, from Emma taking a chance on a ride. We talked a lot about this - she didn't like the speed, the sound, the way it rose up in the air. Bur then, at the end of the day, she took my hand and said, "Well, Mrs. Whitmore. You've stood here all day with me. I guess it's time you and I went on a ride." So she picked a ride (one that stayed on the ground and didn't spin too much) and we laughed our way through! Brave child.....
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