Today I am entrusting you with one of my greatest treasures. My first child, my only daughter, my angel, my heart. She is a big girl of 4 now so she thinks she is ready for school. But I am not ready.
I am not ready to push her out into the big bad world. I am not ready for the first time someone is mean to her in class. The first time someone makes fun of her beautiful almond eyes, or pretends to speak "ching chong ching" Chinese to her. The first time someone says "That's not your mommy, she's white and you're not white". Or "Those aren't your brothers, they're black and you're not black"!
It makes me want to wrap her up in a protective cocoon and never take a chance that she will get hurt, by sticks or stones or words.
But I know that is not the natural progression of things. I know my little bird will never learn to fly if I don't let her jump out of the nest. And I know that God has great soaring flights in store for her. So out of the nest she must go.
So please Teacher, watch over my Sweet Petunia. If she falls down, dust her off. If others criticize her differences, please celebrate her diversity.
I'm a teacher, too, so I know that you can't love every kid like their parents do, but please don't forget that every kid needs you to at least try.
And by the way, she hates coloring but she loves scissors, so be careful about leaving the scissors lying around.
Sincerely, Grace's Mom
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| Was she ever really this little? |
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| In her superhero came--she's ready to fly! |
Grace,
I am so proud of my big girl. I can't believe you are already going to school. There are just a few things that I want to remind you about as you start this new adventure.
- You do not have to color inside the lines. It is over-rated. However, I do think you should go ahead and learn to read.
- Please don't pat your teacher on the backside and tell her she has a big butt. Mommy and some of her friends know that you mean this in the nicest of ways, but your teacher might not like it.
- Do not talk about your private parts or anyone else's private parts at school. Not everyone talks about all the things that we talk about at home.
- Don't pick your nose. There are germs on your finger and when you pick your nose you're sticking germs up there too.
- Don't be too bossy. Haven does everything you ask because he is your brother, but the other kids might not like it.
- Don't be afraid to use the potty at school. It is not an automatic scary potty, it is just like the potty at home with a handle.
Have a great day at school.
Love, Mommy
