Hard Lessons

When Madeleine was little I came across a saying that motherhood is living with your heart outside of your body.  At the time I loved that idea…my heart was so happy and so full and was toddling around our living room cute as a bug.

First grade has been a challenging year.  She is doing great academically, has a nice teacher and goes to a good school.  The challenge is that we’re living the adage that kids can be really mean to each other.

My kid is not perfect.  She will never be perfect.  This isn’t about perfect kids.  It’s about being kind.

It’s about hurting hearts.  Trying to explain to your six year old why someone who was her friend yesterday doesn’t want to be her friend today.  Attempting to not let your anger show when she comes home yet again saying that her ‘friends’ didn’t want to play with her at recess.

Now I see the not-so-fuzzy side to living with your heart outside of your body.  The side where your fragile heart is hurt and trembling, walking slowly through the door, home from another tough day.

Brett has a very manly view of all of this.  “It’s just the beginning.”

Because that helps.  Not.

I’m not a helicopter parent.  Independence is a great life lesson and life is an effective teacher.  Some lessons just seem awfully early for this stage of childhood.