Pre-K: The New 8th Grade

So let me start off by saying, earlier this week I got a flyer in Caleb's school folder telling the parents that there is a "Sweetheart Dance" for Pre-K- 4th graders. They're supposed to bring a parent, but for Heaven's sake, it's a dance...for five year olds...I'm not going. Anyway...

Caleb normally comes home from school extremely happy. He's usually bouncing off the walls and telling me about his day. Yesterday, he wasn't doing any of that. He was sullen, not smiling, and didn't want to talk about school. Enter Mom-Mode. About 50 questions start rolling through my head, "Are you sick?" "Did something happen at school?" "Did someone at school hurt you?" I couldn't get him to talk. Most of his answers were "No." or "It's just nothing." I was worried, but if you've ever tried talking to Caleb when he doesn't want to talk, you know it's a losing battle. I thought I would give him some space and try again later.

Enter "Uncle" George, who has a special way with the kids. He gets Caleb answering questions. And we find out, through interrogation, that Caleb is sad because one of the girls in his class doesn't want to be his friend any more. She doesn't want to be his friend because he hasn't invited her over to play. So he tells me, he's upset because he isn't friends with everyone. Oh my goodness, I thought this was teenage girl drama.

Obviously we reassure him that sometimes not everyone will like you, and to keep being nice to her anyway. He was fairly happy with that. He told me after dinner that he is going to be friends with everyone even if they aren't friends with him. That's my Caleb.

But in all seriousness, what is happening with our children? I thought Pre-K was preparing for Kindergarten, not high school. I thought it was a time to make friends and learn through playing, not fighting over who likes who and whether or not you're my friend. Our children are growing up way too fast, and we only have ourselves to blame. We should allow our children to be children for awhile, not hurrying them to grow up. You have 18 years with your kids no matter how "mature" they are at five. Let's allow them to remain innocent awhile longer.

I'll step off my soap box now.