Romping Safe Zone

Zuzu: 3.52 yrs old
Bear: 1.41 yrs old

Bear loves physical play, chasing and being chased, romping. But I discovered early on that my part in all the hoo-ha was to be his Safe Zone. He prefers for me to be present but stationary, with my lap easily accessible, for him to climb into to escape pursuers, and then immediately to climb out of to continue the game. If I move, or join in as a participant, he becomes Unhappy.

Today Zuzu was chasing him around the dining room table and both of them were having fun, when her eye caught her sticker book on the table, and she climbed into a chair to work on it. Bear, oblivious, continued charging around the dining room, thundering on his short legs and cackling like the maniac he is. Zuzu didn't want to disappoint him, I suppose, so she said, "Mommy, can you please chase Bear." So I did. For a second he was delighted, and sped away from me with renewed speed. And then he stopped with a stressed-out look on his face, and came towards me saying "Mama! Mama!" plaintively. I sat and let him climb into my lap. Then he got up and charged away, so I chased him. Again he cackled and ran, and again he stopped and came to me calling "Mama! Mama!" with the same stressed-out look. Again I hugged him. We did it over and over, with me constantly switching between the roles of pursuer and comforter. I thought it was hilarious.