Why I'm Not Worried About My Kid Making Friends This School Year
I am a proud mother.
JD is turning 6 next month and starting a brand new school in September.
Other than the kids he met at the orientation back in May, he knows no one.
I am not worried.
JD is a social butterfly like me. He is not shy. He is satisfied alone, playing, drawing or writing, but also loves hanging out with his peers. He's down for a loud, good time, or a quiet snuggly one, watching a movie. I love this about him.
We spent a long weekend at the shore. JD is an only child, so when we hit the beach, I play and swim with him. We have a blast.
This weekend it was like I wasn't on the beach. Sigh! Cheer?
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We set up camp and headed down to the breaking surf. JD saw 2 boys digging and told me he was going to play with them. I watched him walk away from me.
"My name is Jack," he said. "Can I play, too?"
The brothers, 5 and 7, invited him to join.
I SAT in my beach chair (GLORIOUS!), walked along the water and read, all while JD was in my view, but playing happily with his new friends.
His new friends from … Alabama! They were visiting their "Gamma" at the shore. It was so spectacular to see my brave boy make friends so easily and with so much confidence!
The following evening, we took a ride to Point Pleasant Boardwalk. I bought thirty bucks worth of tickets and took JD on a big kid ride. Our bellies flip flopped and we laughed.
After that ride (phew!), JD wanted to go on a kid helicopter ride. We stood in line. I didn't have to ride this one with him, but I wanted to secure his safety belt.
"But I have no one to ride with," a little boy standing behind us said.
"You can ride with me!" MY SON said. "Wanna be co-pilots?"
The little boy lit up like a Christmas tree and his mom thanked me. I didn't do anything, I thought.
We watched our boys on the helicopter and how they took turns using the joy stick to make it soar up and down.
They took off their safety belts and ran to us.
"We're going on that up-and-down ride next!" JD said.
"Do you mind," the mom asked.
"Not at all!" I said.
"Your son is such a sweetheart," she said, again.
"Oh my," I said. "Same to you!"
-By Christine Coppa
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