Parenting...

We had an amazing dinner with friends tonight. Isla loved playing with all the kids. On the way home she recapped everything... It was really fun to hear about all the fun she had. Then she said, "What did that boy say to me?" I asked who the boy was & she wasn't sure. I asked what he said, and she said, "He said, 'No, no, you can't play."
Ugh! Heart wrenching!
We talked about what to do when someone says that (find someone else to play with or talk to a grownup), but it still breaks my heart (probably a million times more than it ever breaks hers!).

I know this is a normal part of growing up and learning to socialize, but I just can't stand her getting her feelings hurt. I hate that she is going to have to toughen up and learn to deal with social rejection or may (probably will) even be saying the same thing to another child someday. I just hope & pray that she makes it through the next 16 years relatively unscathed. Her amazing spunky personality and generous heart will make her well loved and a treasured friend.

In other news, we went to "Launching Into Preschool" today. She had fun seeing her classroom, playing with all the toys & using the tiny toilet & sink, and drinking lemon-aide, but she steered clear of the shaving cream, which she informed me, was "just too messy for me." (I think I traumatized her at her birthday.) She was really excited to go today and we talked about how she was going with me to Launching, but would go to preschool all by herself. She seemed ok with this. Tonight she told me that she was "Lauching into Bedtime." Apparently she did - we found her sleeping like this when we went in to give her midnight medicine.Our one big challenge right now is naps - she is really good about going to bed, but then plays and acts silly instead of sleeping (Singing B-I-N-G-O, Yellow Submarine, playing with toys, getting out of bed, pulling all the hats out of her drawer, etc...) On a good note, she stays in her room for at least two hours and seems slightly more rested than before her "nap" but on the flip side, she is obviously tired and is more grouchy than usual and seems to be teaching herself to stay awake, which is effecting bedtimes too. Ideas???