How Childhood Triggers Sparked My Doll‑Playing Episodes (1978–1981)

This article gives an overview of the doll pantomimes I created between 1978 and 1981. While a previous article explores one episode of my odd doll playing, this one looks at the broader pattern and the triggers I later uncovered through my diaries.

Overview of my Strange Doll Pantomimes (1978–1981)

The following is taken from my book, Mirror Image Shattered. Between the 1978 and 1981, I used to make up doll pantomimes. The stories behind them were odd due to the role I gave the star, a large doll with blonde hair. She did nothing but lay inert as the other toys took active parts with bipolar behaviour. I didn’t understand why she would lie like that, but almost four decades later, I would come to learn that trauma marked my toddlerhood by a half‑uncle who lived with us in 1968. I was three.

Unconscious doll in my pantos

Early 1978: The First Triggers

Waxworks, first aid dummies and other such effigies would leave me depressed and unnerved for no apparent reason. I now know I had dissociated the abused toddler within me onto other objects, such as Sue, the unconscious blonde doll. My strange panto is described in more depth separately.

My two diaries I kept in 1978.

Since my terrible discovery about my toddlerhood, I have gleaned my diaries to uncover what fuelled the compulsion for these doll-playing episodes. I have identified ‘triggers’, reminders of my toddlerhood.

In 1978, I had 2 diaries: a tatty 5-year one and an overflow. Some of the information repeats and some might not be shown.

Visiting Dad’s Room (the Former Guest Room)

My diary first reports of doll-playing on 31 January 1978. I had called it ‘muppetshows’. Two days earlier, I had gone up to Dad’s room (formerly the guestroom. My parents slept separately due to Dad’s illness). His room was accessible via separate stairs so I seldom went up there. However, I have come to learn that my uncle used to sleep in that room for most of 1968 and he stole my childhood there. The image below shows how my visit to Dad’s bedroom spurred me to play dolls a day later. My odd behavior in Dad’s room is covered in a separate article.

My visit to Dad's room on 29 Jan spurred an episode of doll-playing

Swimming and the Dentist

My second doll-playing episode occurred on 28 February 1978, continuing into early March. On 25 Feb, I’d gone swimming and on 27th, I had a dental check-up. Both are identified triggers to my toddlerhood. In 1968, we had a family pool which was boarded-over by the time I was 4. The pool was in use during my uncle’s stay and I know he assaulted me there. For obvious reasons, I hated the oral nature of the dentist’s check-up but over the years had learned to tolerate it.

I went swimming and the dentist and then played dolls

Talking About “The Past of the House”

27 March: we talk on the 'past of the house'. I then east Easter eggs and play dolls.

I don’t play dolls again until 27 and 28 March 1978. On the 27th, I have a chat with Mum and Dad about 'the past of the house.' This likely would have included the situation of my early childhood. That same day, I'm playing dolls - until late. I play dolls again the next day

On 4 March, I begin a story, The Secret of the Shadows, an apparent children's mystery veiling loss of innocence. My children's stories are looked at in my book, Tales from Daler Cottage.

I continue to play dolls on 28 & 29 March

On 15 August 1978, we'd gone to the seaside

Summer 1978: The Seaside Episode

I don’t play dolls again until 16 August 1978. This is a sustained period that continues onto 17, 18 19 and continues sporadically until 27 Aug. That's a lot of doll playing! What triggered such an explosion?

On 15 August, we went to the east coast for the day. I recall rock pools and the blue sky reflecting upon the still waters of the cove. Extreme unease crept over me at the water’s tranquillity but I didn’t know why. Reminders of our family pool come to mind, but I was unaware of this. We had also gone to the coast in 1968. Beach holidays have always spurred an unsettled feeling. I had a bad dream about my youngest sister on the 14 August, so I was already troubled, perhaps by the prospect of going to the seaside.

A day after I go the seaside, I'm playing dolls.

The Long October episode

27 September, marks my fifth doll-playing episode of 1978. I was already depressed on 23 September which deepens by 26 Sept. The reason for this appears that I keep going to a nearby girl's house. Her dad is tall with dark with a moustache. Without realising, he was triggering reminders of my toddlerhood, as he bears a passing resemblance to my uncle.

Relevant dates of my diary: I'm going to June's lots then I'm playing dolls.

This, my sixth and final doll-playing episode of 1978 is a whopper. I play dolls on for half of October. On the 26th, I wrote another story, Christmas Holiday House, a children's mystery shrouding loss of innocence. On 31 Oct, I also wrote a poem: The Sea (similarly haunting).

A strong trigger had brough on this compulsive playing of dolls and of my jottings. But what was it? It is so big, I have decided to dedicate a separate article to it, but again, I have found my horrific toddlerhood behind everything.

My drawing of toys completed when I was 19

The Patterns Across All Episodes

So in all, I would be triggered into re-enacting situations of my toddlerhood whilst playing ‘dolls.’ Reminders of my toddlerhood would bring it on. These include: going to the seaside or swimming baths, dental check-ups, going in Dad’s room and effigies of my uncle. Odd behavior would accompany my doll-playing episodes which are: toymaking, doing jigsaws and writing stories. It is now obvious that I was creating diversions to run away from the toddler within me.

 

How My Creative Work Encoded These Memories

In later years, I would complete drawings and paintings of the toys within my pantos. Sue had been mislaid so I used a similar doll, Tiny Tears. Clues to the times, such as Andy Pandy and loss of innocence has been encoded within my compositions. I wouldn’t see the messages for decades.

Looking back, these episodes were not random. They were unconscious re-enactments of a toddlerhood I had not yet remembered. My diaries, stories, and later reflections helped me understand the meaning behind each trigger and resultant episode.

My doll pantomime in depth
my detailed article on the October 1978 trigger
About my diaries
Posts about my diaries

Home About this blog and popular posts.
About me
Start here How I learned the truth about my past in 10 parts
Buy my books from Amazon or browse the Madeleine Watson Book Catalogue on this blog.
Themes in my work

For external sources related to this topic, visit my Further Reading page