I have a soon to be 6yo daughter, who started Kindergarten this year. I will be honest with you..... I was very anxious about M. going to school. I tried not to show how scared I was for her, specially since she was counting the days to go to her "big kid school."
M. is such an amazing little girl with a heart of gold. She cares and she knows how important it is to be nice to people and help those who can't help themselves. However, M. can also be very shy and would never hurt a fly...... and believe it or not, that was the reason for my anxiety before she started school.
See.... my husband and I teach (or try to) our girls to be good to others, no matter what color, size or gender. We don't judge people by the way they look, we help those in need, and we should always be nice. We believe this to be essential components of good and decent members of society. However....... I can't control the world, much less M's "big girl school."
I can't control what other parents are teaching or NOT teaching their kids, and I can't control, or foresee how kids will behave.... So, how do you teach a child to be nice and yet assertive? How do you teach a child to not hit and yet defend those who need help? How do you teach your child to stand up for what they believe?
I was worried that she would be picked on, for some random reason, and that she would not be able to stand up for herself. You hear how mean kids are to each other, and how much bullying goes around in schools. Girls may not use fists but words can hurt as much, if not worse sometimes.
So.... M started school and she loves it! She has friends and she is learning so much. I am so happy and proud of her.
..... I can't help it but wonder how it will be once she gets older. Will she know how to respond to hateful words? Will she help others in need? Will we have to deal with bullying? Will we have to worry about bullying?
Why am I so worried about these issues? I am not sure....... perhaps because I am a mother who wants my kids to be happy and good. But when I look around me I see so much hatred, so much intolerance, so much prejudice, so little compassion, so little understanding, too much emphasis on what does not matter and too little emphasis on what is important in life........ that is why I do wonder how it is going to be when the girls grow up. What will the world be like?
