wr323

That love for feeling the grass and puddles on bare feet is so relatable - my kiddo was the same way! One thing that helped us was getting those flexible, water-friendly shoes like “water socks” or “barefoot shoes” that feel almost like being barefoot but still protect against sharp stuff. They’re lightweight and let them feel the ground but keep the feet safe. Maybe letting her choose a pair with a cool design might help too. Also, I found setting clear “barefoot zones” helped - like, she can go shoeless on the grass or in the backyard, but sidewalks and playgrounds require shoes. It took some patience and reminders, but it gave her some control while keeping safety in mind. Sounds like you’re doing a great job balancing her sensory needs with safety worries!

What you're describing about labels feeling both helpful and limiting really hits home for me. I spent a long time bouncing between terms like pan and queer, trying to find one that felt “right,” but honestly, sometimes none of them fully matched my experience. I found that giving myself permission to just *be* without a label took a lot of pressure off. It’s okay to explore and change how you identify over time - or even to choose not to identify at all if that feels best. Intimacy can definitely get tangled up in all this self-discovery. For me, being gentle with myself and communicating openly with partners about where I was emotionally helped a lot. You’re not alone in feeling this way, and sometimes the best thing is just to sit with the uncertainty and see what feels natural rather than forcing a label before you’re ready.