A Kindergarten Prayer

My oldest daughter started kindergarten a few weeks ago, and I am consumed with anxiety and worry. I know most parents worry; but, I wasn’t prepared for the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as she makes her way through the snarls of school social life.  Luckily, Mandi seems to be a typically-developing 5 year-old, with the right temperament to succeed in school.  She loves to draw and practice her letters, and “reads” books (by memory).  She has an average attention span and she never wants to be in trouble (except when she’s sassy to her mom).  As far as I can tell right now, she should be able to learn in a general classroom, which is a huge relief to me, as a special education teacher.  But, I worry about her social skills.

How can she navigate the myriad social situations in a school setting?  Who does she sit with at lunch?  Can she start a conversation or begin playing with other kids?  How will she react when someone inevitably hurts her feelings?  Will she hurt someone else’s feelings?  Will she be bullied?  Will she be a bully?  Will she ever, ever make a friend?  

I try not to overwhelm her with my questions:  How was your day?  What was your favorite part?  Who played with you today?  Did you talk to anyone new?  I know better than to ask, “Did anything hurt your feelings today?”  But, inevitably, I hear the stories, “My new friend, “so and so”, said we shouldn’t be friends today.  I was really sad.  I hope we can be friends tomorrow.”  I have to turn away so she doesn’t see the tears in my eyes.  I know this is just part of growing up, that girls can be friends and not play with each other all the time, that she will have to learn how to handle these things, that I cannot protect her from hurt feelings.  Still, I want to cry.  And pray a kindergarten prayer:

Dear God,

Please help my child to be kind and help others to be kind to her. 

 Please help her to know when to speak and when to listen, when to play and when to be calm, when to go along with a friend and when to go her own way.  

Help her to be strong but not hard, confident but not arrogant, sensitive but not weak.  

 Help her to know when to forgive and when to stand up for herself and others.  

Help her to bounce back from disappointment and failure.  

Help her to learn from her mistakes.  

Help her to grow up to be loving, happy, and wise.  

Dear God, protect my baby.

Amen.

Image: "Always" by Sharon Cummings. http://fineartamerica.com/featured/always-sharon-cummings.html