My six year old son is a gentle bear of a kid. He loves to give intense, linebacker-style hugs. His physical strength amazes me some days. We are glad that he is closest in age to Jillian. He has been officially dubbed "Jillian's protector" as she ventures through her school days :)
All rough and tough at times on the outside, he is all "mush" on the inside. Of all my children, I think he has inherited my super sensitivity gene. He can get upset very easily. Many times during kindergarten last year, he would get visibly teary eyed when called to do a new task or present anything to his class. I worried about his sense of comfort each day. As I worked around the house, I would continually ask myself, "I hope Joe is happy right now. I hope he's not too nervous." His teacher would let me know if Joe had a particularly nervous day. Amazingly, he didn't miss a day of kindergarten. He is so proud of that fact. Joe worked hard throughout kindergarten, and I'm proud of his determination and achievement.
Today we are two weeks from the first day of school. Joe is moody and acting out a lot. I can tell that he is getting nervous. So am I. As he gets older, I hope that his nervousness subsides.
He truly is my gentle bear. He is full of hugs and kisses for all of us in the family. When he feels hurt, he also feels that emotion very strongly. He looks for my comfort often. I do feel that he has learned to "self-comfort" pretty well in school. He just needs to not show his nervousness so much. The other kids start to point it out and that can make things worse for him.
Well, there's my latest worry about my kids. Keep your fingers crossed for my Joe as he gets on the bus on the first day of school. Think of nervous me too as I wave good-bye to him.
My husband thinks that I'm super "mushy" too :)
28 comments:
Don't worry about him. I used to cry uncontrollably for hours at at time in school. No, waitaminute... that was last Monday, on my first day back from vacation.
I know what you mean. My middle daughter was shy and would turn red whenever she had to do anything in front of the class or had attention drawn to her. I was as nervous for her as she was for herself! She made it though - through school and college!
To me, the greatest pain is the pain that you think your child feels. I still "worry" on a daily basis even though mine are all grown.
It's good that he's sensitive inside, he'll make a nicer adult that way. My lad has a soft soul underneath the brashness of manhood. When he was a nursery school he would cry and cling and I would go to work worried sick. One day the nursery nurse told me to look through the window on my way out. I did. My very tearful lad was no longer tearful, he was laughing his socks off as he scrambled up the climbing frame. It cured me. My advice to you is to relax and enjoy everything as it comes. Hugs for a special Mum.
Have you ever heard of Sara Groves? She is awesome. She has a song called A Lot Like Me, about her son who is a thinker and sensitive like she is. Here are the lyrics but you have to promise to go on iTunes and listen to it. I'll mail you a dollar to buy it!
Baby I'm afraid you're a lot like me
you can't help feeling everything
I can see you trying to hold it in
I see your eyes and your trembling chin
And for you and myself I will pray
let our weakness become our strength
baby there are some holes you just can't fill
you try and try but you never will
baby I believe a God who can
he loves the boy and he'll love the man
And for you and myself I will pray
let our weakness become our strength
I'm already worrying about the school years and they are so far away still.... I hope he does great in school this year. It should be exciting for him to see if he can maintain his perfect attendance record! That's great!
Awww...precious! He is so cute! He's going to break girls' hearts when he gets older, lol! Good luck to both of you today!
What a sweet guy! That picture of the two of them is super cute! He is going to be such a little heartbreaker!
Mushy is good
There is nothing wrong with mushy.. That is much better than nasty.. They are very beautiful children..
Hugs Carol and GJ x
A friend told me that he would often get after his teenage son (who was very manly) for crying too easily. Years later he told me, "I wish I had just left him alone. He was just sensitive." I was that way some, too. He'll adjust to circumstances as he grows older.
Oh man, that's so tough. As a previous Kindergarten teacher, I remember how hard those first few days were on the kids AND the parents. I think your concern for him is just perfect and absolutely natural. Goodness, he's only 6. And he'll always know that you care by the concern you've shown in these early years.
Hope the day goes well and that he has tons of stories to tell!
Awww, he sounds so sweet. Reminds me my brother. Yes, the one who just got married. Isn't she a lucky girl? :)
He sounds like such a sweet kid. He'll get the nervousness out now and be all ready for school. Darling photo!
First of all he sounds just wonderful and it's so neat that he and Jillian are close. Being a very sensitive soul myself I totally understand his anxiety about starting school again. I think it is wonderful that you know your kids so well. It will be so great for him to have you as a support over the years, someone who really understands and gets him. In our society we put so much emphasis on what's 'normal' it makes me want to scream. Joe sounds perfectly healthy to me. He feels more than other people - to me this is a gift and we should all be so lucky to know this beautiful little soul. I love the picture!
Found you through Holistic Mama and HFW. Always love reading about the lives of those with more than one as my daily trials with one pale in comparison. Will be thinking about your sensitive one on his first day of school.
Can't wait for skool to start.
He sounds like he's gonna be a heartbreaker when he gets older.
Women go crazy for the strong that wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Aww he's a cutie. I get the nervousness though. I used to be like that too. Even long after I was finished school I'd still get a touch of that anxious feeling as soon as back to school time rolled around.
Parenting isn't for sissies, is it? Like taking your heart out of your body and letting it walk around. I have a couple of sensitive ones, too. It's as hard on the mom as it is on the child. I'll be thinking of you both.
Oh, your Joey reminds me of my beloved brother, Peter. He turned out to be the best dad a daughter and son could ever have, not to mention the very best brother. Joey is going to excel. After all, look who his mom is. Peace and love, my sister, my friend. By the way, the picture is the cutest!
That is a cute picture...precious:) I will keep my fingers crossed for you and all Mom's with kids going back to school. My middle child is starting kindergarten this year and I am a little sad about her going. I tell her to stop growing up. When she was about 3 she said to me"Mommy I have to grow up, but I will always be your Bubba" I cried buckets.
I honestly think that watching them grow up is the hardest thing in the whole world!
thank you for sharing. i think you just about described my little jacob.....almost.....
your kids are adorable! here's to a great school year for the kids and for the both of us!
Chooo Chwweeettt :)
What a cutie! I hope Joe has a fantastic year ahead and enjoys school thoroughly. Hugs back to him!
OK I can related to this fear! he looks so sweet. My son is very fearful and slow to warm up ... and I'm a nervous wreck about him starting kindergarten. I love how protective he is of his sister. Cute photo!
Yes, the school year is right around the corner. Here's to a great one for all of us. Cheers! Big brothers, rock!!!
Septembermom...WOW Joe and Jillian are cute kids...I be you are proud of them. Also, If Joe is just starting school...you and hubby will be able to retire early and live off Joe's NFL income!
Dan
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