Little EC got herself lost in the library today. She was reading in the kids’ section on the top floor; I was on the other side of the book case. When I came back around, she was gone. I searched the top floor, and having not found her, was on my way down the stairs to the second floor when I heard her voice coming from the first; she was crying and telling someone her name.
It seems she had gone looking for me, and had made her way to the main floor, and in distress had gone to a librarian to ask for help. We managed to get her calmed down and everything was fine; she had learned a good lesson about wandering off in a safe environment. She had also learned a good lesson about finding a trustworthy “helper” when she needed one. And the lesson has stuck, at least for now: she had some trouble falling asleep tonight because the scenario was replaying in her mind.
The other day at dinner, we (the adults) were talking about how individuals achieve their worth. As we were concluding that worth does not come from status, but as a result of “the content of their character”, little EC jumped in to say that people are important because of what is in their hearts, and what’s in their hearts is Jesus, and he’s important because he saved us from our sins on the cross. Well…it seems that some combination of parenting and Catholic preschool is bearing fruit…these are the things that warm a parent’s soul.
School has been overwhelmingly positive. The only cloud in the sky is that in the last few weeks little EC has been complaining that her classmates are mean to her. A little probing conversation unearths that what she means is that they are calling her mean, and she doesn’t think she’s done anything to deserve that. Also, something about kicking and pushing. A couple times she has said she doesn’t want to go to school because of this. I’ll have to have a chat with the teachers and find out what might be going on…
And on another high point, though I’ve forgotten to note it for months, as of January 8th we are officially a diaper-free house. That was the last night that any overnight training pants were needed, and we gave away the last of our stash a couple weeks ago.