My little baby, my little princess. Ever since you were born, I’ve been doting on you and protecting you from the dangers of the outside world. It’s been five years already. I really thought I had it all figured out when it came to education—well, YOUR education, anyway. You were outgoing, polite; you knew lots of pretty words. You weren’t the least bit afraid of what others might think.
But then the dreaded kindergarten came into our lives. I know school is a rite of passage (or almost), but I would have loved so much to be able to keep control of your education, my darling. Since September, you’ve changed, I’ve changed… we’ve all changed! The routine, the topics of conversation, the activities, the friends… EVERYTHING is different. Believe me, if I’d had a wallet as big as the current U.S. president’s ego, you’d have been homeschooled!
Yeah, it’s cute to see you come home with a whole bunch of cool knowledge—like the seasons, the five senses, colors, shapes… but you already knew all that. Mom taught you that, probably in a less exciting way than the 18 different nursery rhymes you’ve learned since school started—that’s true… but I swear you already knew all those things.
Kindergarten has also brought a bunch of daily squabbles with your new friends. The tears of hurt I see streaming down your cheeks because Kayla told you you were mean today are breaking my heart. Mom wasn’t there to make sure the conflict was resolved properly. I don’t know who was there, close to you, to step in and explain to Kayla that those words hurt. I can comfort you at night, that’s true. But it’s too late—it was this morning that your little heart was hurting. Kids’ squabbles happen to everyone, every day—you’ll tell me not to worry over such a small thing; but I’m not like that.
In a very, very selfish way, I find it really hard to watch you grow up and lose the control I once had over your learning. I know I need to talk myself through this—that life goes on, that it’s for your own good. My mother’s heart wasn’t ready to leave you in the hands of an institution. But at the same time, I see you thriving, eager to learn, and above all, so proud to be able to sing your 18 nursery rhymes to me from morning till night…