Big Girl

Today was supposed to go a little differently than it did. I don't know why I set myself up with expectations... especially with kids.

Today, Sadie started Primary. She is a Sunbeam. I have talked it up for sometime, trying to prepare her (or ME??) for the change. I am so happy for her and getting to spread her wings a little and try something new. Also, I am bummed for her little brother who is left in Nursery without her as she moves on. Maybe I should be more concerned about the other kids who are now the recipients of Joe's attention without his best friend around... I digress. (Update: Joe Joe did great, and did not have any fights today!! I suspect it was because the other kid who loves a certain toy as much as he does moved on to Sunbeams with Sadie).

I should mention here, that the below picture is Sadie's new bed. Actually, Joe Joe has a matching one to it, right on the other side of the window, but it is lacking a mattress. We are waiting on the shipment. We stayed up pretty stinking late putting those beds together last night (which are side-by-side twin beds, beds we can stack when I know the kids are big enough to handle bunks) and I may have, in all the excitement, set my daughter up for disaster on such a big day. She didn't get to bed until 11, and got up at 7. With no nap. Oops. This is her right after church and a quick lunch.

We got ready for church, I packed my camera anticipating documenting every adorable second of Sadie singing and laughing with her new friends, sitting straight, answering all the questions with her polite hand raised--embracing change. We made it through sacrament meeting... and then had to go to classes. Sadie was STUCK to me. I stayed for Primary opening exercises... then I stayed for sharing time. At one point, I was able to convince Sadie to sit in a chair next to me instead of ON me. Her teacher thought that would be a good opportunity to try and cut the cord, and scooped her up to sit on her lap. Sadie burst into tears and with arms outstretched called for me. I took her back.

Should I have never indulged her to begin with? Maybe. Just dropped her off and ran? Maybe. I have spent a lot of time in prayer asking about my children. What is right? How to I react in this situation? How can I help Sadie learn this? What do I do with my son when he does that? How do I teach them everything they need to know to be confident, intelligent, independent, and kind contributing members to society, while learning to listen to the spirit and follow it in a world of mixed messages? HOW??

My answer: Erin, teach by example. Teach them right from wrong. Teach them to be safe. Then let them choose.

Let them choose. Let go and let them fly. Trust them. Even three-year-olds?

Yup.

I let her go to class with out me-- well, to be frank, I ditched her in the shuffle. She soared.

And tomorrow she will start a preschool group twice-a-week.

Deep breath. This is just the little stuff...