Tough Week

I knew being a mom wouldn’t be easy.  And I’ve survived the middle of the night feedings, the tantrums of the terrible twos, the struggle for independence…but that all feels like child play compared to the task of this week.

This week I was reminded of the fact that sometimes there is very little a mom can do to protect her young from getting hurt.  Sending your children off into the world, is like sending your heart out there, exposed for the world to trample on.

I may be exaggerating… but only a little

This was a tough week for my five year old.  First some of the kids at baseball practice were teasing him.   They kept calling him “pretty”.   It was one of his first times being the butt of a “joke” and it bothered him.  

Ouch!

Then, when I picked him up from Sunday School he told me one of his “friends” from class didn’t want to sit beside him that day.  He apparently even said, “I don’t like you”.  My poor son just doesn't understand how to deal with this stuff yet.

Double ouch!

As much as I wish I could step in and point out to these boys, many of the wonderful characteristics about my son, I know that wouldn’t help his situation.  At all

Instead, I try my best to comfort him.  To poke holes into their jabs and to delicately explain to him that in life, everyone isn’t going to be nice to him all the time. Everyone he meets won’t be his friend.   I try to reassure him and encourage him and point out how words can hurt and that we need to be careful about what we say to others. 

But, man is it hard.  My mother bear instincts raise up and I wish I could shield him from the hurt.  But I can’t.  Sheltering him won’t work either.

And so it begins…I’m guessing it’s not going to get any easier.

I hate this part.