Today is your last day at a home daycare (Sherri's). We are all a little bit sad that this chapter in your life is coming to an end, and I know that Sherri will miss you and you will miss her and your little friends there and spending time with your sister every day... but we are thrilled for you to be starting Preschool full-time next week. You are so excited about being a 'big girl' and having a real class, and teachers and learning new things and going on field trips and playing outside for hours a day.
Your father and I were nervous about it, despite knowing how good it would be for you - you have always been more of a shy, tentative, cautious girl. Never the first one in a crowd to make a new friend, or the kid who goes up to random strangers and starts conversations... you are a little tentative about physical things too - slides and swings and sand (yep, you are definitely a product of both of your parents, that's for sure!). But we've been so amazingly proud of you and your strong, smart, sensitive personality these past few weeks. We're in the middle of selling our house, you have a new sibling on the way, you are starting a new school - and yet you roll with the punches and accept it all gracefully, with a minimum amount of tantrums thankfully ;)
We had a couple of preschool orientations this week - I left you alone during both of them and you didn't bat an eyelash. I assumed there'd be tears and clinginess, but I saw brave determination on your face to be a big girl and throw yourself into a new situation. You are now talking to servers in restaurants, saying hi to strangers walking down the street, insisting new people you meet shake your hands, waving to strange dogs... all things that you wouldn't have done even six months ago.
There is a parenting philosophy out there called 'Attachment Parenting' and while I hate the labels that people put on 'types' of parents, and I don't think any one follows any set of principles exactly, it is a theory that your father and I have tended to fall into naturally. While we believe in setting boundaries and rules for our children, we also believe in respecting their individual personalities and reassuring them when they need it. Your sister and you seem to be quite different - Alexis is more of a free-spirit, a little more independent, a little more feisty. And you have always been a big cuddler, more of a mommy's and daddy's girl - a bit nervous about new things, tentative in new situations. I breastfed you until you were two, we never pushed you into doing things you were very uncomfortable with, and even now, at age 3.5 you sleep in our bed with us. Some people would say we are giving in and not being firm enough; some would say that we are setting ourselves up for a lifetime of clinginess and dependency. But seeing how much you've blossomed and grown into a brave, determined, friendly little girl... I have to believe that we are doing the right thing in following our instincts. The way we parent certainly wouldn't be for everyone, nor would it work for every kid - but I don't regret anything we've done with you. I just have to look at your sweet, smiling face and know that we are doing okay.
I can't wait to see you change and grow even more as you get accustomed to preschool - I look forward to hearing your fantastic stories about all your new adventures with your new friends.
Love,
Momma
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