We wore sunglasses on our walk to school (back to walking again, Yay Spring!) for two reasons.
1. The sun was shining (obvious reason)
2. I didn't want any social workers stopping me on the sidewalk.
Once we were inside, the eye- and boo-boo-shielders had to come off. Layla, one of his buddies, was talking to him while I was de-glassing him. Her face turned a thousand different ways, ending on curiously grossed out, and she just couldn't stop staring. I didn't know who to feel more bad for, my poor Gabriel under the eyes of curious yet scrutinizing eyes, or Layla, who didn't know what to think. I tried to step in and soften the blow.
"Layla, remember when Gabe fell on the playground on Monday?"
No response.
"You know, when he fell over the soccer ball?"
...No response.
"It's okay, Gabe, she's just curious."
As we approach the classroom, all 15 kids stop. Look. Stare.
I knew how Gabe was feeling. It took me back to fourth-grade, when Poodle Perms were in style and I so desperately wanted one. My mom obliged, and I can still smell the perming chemicals when I think of it. I thought I looked like Debbie Gibson and that everyone would love it. When I walked in to class, even my teacher Ms. Williamson did a double-take. My boyfriend Mike Channels took one look at me in homeroom and broke up with me by lunch. It took me two-years to grow out that awful perm. And as you can tell, it scarred me so badly I am still talking about it at 26.Gabe's teachers stepped in to do damage control.
"Friends! Let's tell Gabe how much we missed him yesterday! Remember how he fell on Monday?"
Kids.... Staring...
My poor Gabe, cowering...
I wanted so badly to say "Honey, come on, Mommy will take you home..." but I refrained.
How many times in life are we faced with tiny trials, or big uphill mountains?
How do we parent through this?
How do I explain to him that they mean no harm (because at age 3 1/2, they really don't)?
I hope his day is going well. I hope his friends at school see beyond the mark of Rocky Balboa and that he doesn't feel excluded.
Maybe I'll tell him about my Poodle Perm after school.
3 comments:
I am sure he had a good day- kids his age do so much better.
Don't worry, the initial shock wears off fast and then they are off to their usual games. You are a fine mom, you can parent them through anything. With God's help of course. Just don't tell him about the Poodle Perm yet!
Mike Channels doesn't know what he missed! His loss...
I didn't think the perm was THAT bad- until Mimi asked me "What did you do to her?"
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