My Son’s Kindergarten Friend Made Me Re-Think My Parenting Strategy
Equating a friend moving with the trauma of a break-up
“Mommy, I haven’t seen Sally * at my school in a long time.” My son looks up at me with worry and sadness in his eyes. Sally was his best friend last year when he was in Junior Kindergarten and she was in Senior Kindergarten.
“Well she went to Grade 1 this year,” I respond. “You won’t see her that much since she’s not in your class.”
“But, mommy. I have seen my other friends that went to Grade 1. We had an assembly and I saw them all.”
“Ok, maybe she was away that day.”
He looks up at me, unconvinced. “Mommy, I don’t think she is here anymore. Can you check?”
“Sure buddy, I can check.”
My son nods and leans into me for a hug, his little voice whispers out against the fabric of my shirt, “If she moved I am going to be so sad.”
I hold him close, grateful that he can’t see my expression. I know something that he is unaware of. Last year, Sally’s parents were talking about moving across the country. They had been undecided at the start of the summer break, but perhaps they had taken the plunge.
