First off, I am obsessing over these back to school photos everyone has been posting. It makes me think about when I am going to have to send my babes off to do their thing. I can not even imagine what my feelings are going to be when the day comes.
Recently I have been thinking about what the number one thing I would always want to teach my boys. Mainly because we have encountered a few different situations recently that I would be mortified if my child acted the way some of these kids did toward my son. Obviously no child is perfect, they aren’t always going to get along with everyone, and everyone has their bad days.
Dekker is so social to everyone and I love that about him. He wants to be everyone’s friend. He is so tender hearted. Whether you are 2 or 60, Dekker calls you his friend. I hope he is always like this. Never giving up and becoming a friend to everyone he meets.
These situations he was in was him going up to kids and saying his name, “ hi, I’m dekker” wanting to engage and these kids LITERALLY saying we are not friends with you. As my son is trying to play and telling me, “ mom these are my friends”. It hurts seeing my boy put himself out there to be shut down repeatedly but he doesn’t even realize the mean out there yet. As he gets older he will start being more aware of these things, and all you can do is help him navigate that.
Someday he will build solid friendships in the near future, but i am hopeful he will show kindness to everyone. No matter what I will continue to teach him to be kind to everyone not only by telling him every.single.day., but I hope I can show him in my daily actions. Kids notice everything, they take everything in, and they mimic what they are around.
Don’t get me wrong… I’ve made many mistakes in my life, I’ve been mean towards my peers, and said things I wish I wouldn’t have. Dekker has pushed his brother, stolen a toy from others, but these kids are learning so don’t give up on teaching them kindness. I know I will never stop teaching my boys to be kind and welcoming towards others.