Childhood Angst

I hate that social worries exist at all, and really hate that my child is starting to have to deal with them. When K comes home and says "Nobody wanted to play with my doll with me today." or "Katie used to be my best friend but now she only wants to play with Hannah"...she's telling me this in a sad voice, but within 10 seconds is on to other stuff and it doesn't seem to phase her in the least-but I just want to jump up and rescue it.

I know that at this age everyone is learning how to interact with each other and that it's hard, but I swear sometimes it's harder for me as her mom. The other day K told me that a girl would not play with her, and in the hallway of the preschool I got down on my knee and looked her in the eye and said "Honey, I promise that some day you will have good friends who love you for who you are, and they will be there for you from good days and bad days. If this person doesn't want to play with you now, then don't try to play with her-go find the friend who will be a GOOD friend for you, not one you have to chase. You can't force somebody to like you any more than they can force you to like them. Please don't worry about her, and enjoy your other friends. It will be okay in the end, I promise." And she smiled and said "Okay Mommy, I will!"

I know she won't get all that off the bat, but I will repeat it over the years until she does...I hope.

This is one of the more painful parts of parenting to me! As an outcast in school myself, I am overly sensitive to the issue in my child, but at least I know it. (weak smile) And at least she is a lot more outgoing and friendly than I ever was-I was too shy to connect while she goes up to perfect strangers at McDonalds or playgrounds or anywhere and makes an instant little friend to play with, almost every time. I'm proud of her, and this raising kids thing is going to give me a heart attack one of these days...