So proud of my 4YO girl

Every night when I arrive home, right after I hug and kiss my family my next task is to read the kid's grams from their "teacher" so I know what kind of day they had. Usually I read the baby's first because I am really curious about how his eating went. Yes, he's doing better with bottles at school, that's a post for another time though. This post is about my girl. As I started to read the baby's gram, my husband said, "you'll want to read this, front and back". He proceeded to shove my girl's gram in my face covering the baby's gram. My heart and soul sank. I immediately thought the worst. Oh God oh God oh God...she totally did something really bad. She must've been caught doing something really terrible. She has a new teacher and her teacher likes to write a novel at the bottom of each child's gram so the parent knows what the highlights of their own child's day were (I LOVE this feature, I LOVE this new teacher...if I were a teacher, I would do the same thing for the parents).

I began reading...

"The 4YO & "A" played very well together at the kitchen center this morning. The 4YO, "O" & "A" liked looking at pictures thru our view masters. The 4YO loved going under the hose instead of the sprinkler today."

Ok...all standard stuff. She's all about her time with her friends. Remind me to tell you about "E" some day and how he's her "boyfriend" and she's "going to marry him"! It was this next little part that made me a bit weepy and excited all at the same time.

The teacher continued, clearly already out of space in the "Special Notes" box on the gram, but made it a point to mention:

"While I was on my lunch break several of the children were very rude & disrespectful to Ms. K. I'm happy to say that 4YO was NOT one of those friends. Ms. K said 4YO was polite and helpful. I'm proud of the great choice she made." (Underneath her writing which had to be continued on the back of the paper she drew a really big smiley face.)

ME TOO Ms. L., ME TOO!!! After reading it and feeling the dread I felt before reading it, I felt guilty for thinking the worst. I put the papers down and wrapped my girl in the biggest hug and laid a giant kiss on her cheek and told her how very proud I was of her. I told her she was so good to be so nice to Ms. K. Admittedly, I tried to get her to tell me what the other kids were doing (just to get a perspective on the situation), but it didn't really come out very clear.

4YO is a good kid. She had a rough go for a while, but to the core she really is a good kid. I am not taking credit for what she did or how she acted, but I can't stop thinking, hmmmm....maybe I'm not doing too bad with this parenting thing after all. That she conducted herself nicely sends me over the moon, I'm so proud of her.

My husband said that when he got the to pick the kids up, 4YO was with the director at the front of the center. She was making a special point to have 4YO there when the owner got back so she could tell her what had happened and how good she was. Tonight I took every opportunity to reinforce how proud I was of her. I am all about positive reinforcement. If she knows she did something awesome and magnificent, she will choose to do more awesome and magnificent things. I'm ok with that. :) I know I'm her mother and I'm biased and all that but I really believe my little girl is one of the most caring little souls. She does things with her whole heart and being (when she wants to that is). I believe she is destined to do great things in her life. Such a special little girl.

To my 4YO,

Mommy loves you so so very much and I am so proud of you for taking the high road today. You are an amazing little girl and I am so happy to be your mommy.

Love you to the moon and back doodles!
Mommy