6.17.2013

All I Need to Know In Life I learned in Kindergarten

What a crazy last few days.....school ended, I hosted the End of School breakfast at my house on Friday for the 65 teachers at my school, we went out of town for a wedding (more on that later) and celebrated Father's Day! PHEW!

I am so happy the school year is FINALLY over.
I didn't know if I would survive.
I really can't believe Kate is done with Kindergarten. 
I remember the first day SO clearly.
I had just give birth to Luke 2 weeks before school started & I was a ball of emotion.
10 months later, on the last day of school, I was still a ball of emotion. 
I am so proud of my girl. 
What a huge year this was for Kate.
She learned to read. 
She made new friends.
She listened to her teacher.
She started speech once a week.
She met or exceeded all the Kindergarten standards.
She lost her first tooth (at school)
She completed her year of Kindergarten with grace & dignity.
With her awesome teacher the last day of school.

I was so nervous those first few weeks of school.
She didn't know anyone in her class.
Her friends were in the other Kinder class.
The 3rd week of school, she would come home from school & her snack was still in her lunch bag (Kindergarten doesn't eat lunch at school, just a snack)
For a week straight, each day, her snack was there, untouched. 
I asked her about it & she said she "wasn't hungry"
I had been giving her one of her favorite treats...a chocolate pudding cup.
I was so confused on why she wasn't eating it.
Finally, after a week of this, she finally told me that a boy in her class had put "bricks on her heart"
I asked why & she said because the week before when she ate her pudding cup, she had some chocolate on her lip and a boy in her class said to her,
"I am not going to be friends with you because you are messy & have chocolate on your face."
That's why she hadn't been eating her snack.
My heart sank.
I told her that what that boy said to her was not kind and that is why it's so important to chose our words wisely so that we don't put bricks on people's hearts.
Later that night I cried as I thought about my sweet Kate.
I realized at that moment she learned a life lesson in kindergarten......that people can be a$$holes.  Really, it's true. All you really need to know in life can be learned in Kindergarten, or rather from a pudding cup.

Everyday I say to my girls, "It's nice to be nice"
My hope & prayer for them in school is not that they get straight A's, but that they are nice people.
Good grades can only take you so far in life.
But being a nice person to those around you, showing them Christ's love and treating others how you want to be treated?
 That will take you FAR.
 Her teacher gave out awards to each student on the last day of school.
 Kate was awarded "Ms. Friendly" and her teacher said that Kate showed up each day of school with a loving glow surrounding her.

I was so proud when Kate got Ms. Friendly from her Kindergarten teacher.
She persevered & over came someone being unkind to her and made sure she was still a friend to all...each day she showed up at school.
The last day of school, I got to spend the last hour at school with Kate while they had their awards presentation & a slideshow of the year. Myself (and most of the moms) just stood in the back of the classroom with tears streaming down our faces. I couldn't stop crying. 
It was such a special & incredible year. 
Kate's teacher was amazing & it was a good group of kiddos.
I will remember this year of school forever. 
It was truly Awe-some.
Goodbye School Year....HELLO SUMMER!!!!

22 comments:

  1. What a sweet, sweet post about a sweet, sweet girl! Loved it!

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  2. How sweet! Reading things like this make me so excited to teach kinder next year! Sounds like she had a great teacher but is a very well deserving kiddo! She is sweet!

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  3. Such a sweet post. My baby finished kindergarten this year as well. Wow the last day was just as hard as the first. It is so hard that they have to learn there are mean people so early in life.
    Have a WONDERFUL summer!!

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  4. I had the pleasure of recently interviewing a lady for the newspaper who just retired after 41 years of working for the Army. She said that what she has learned over 4 decades is that what is truly important is how you treat people - to be kind and treat others with kindness. It sounds like Miss Kate has already learned that valuable life lesson.

    Of course, us Kates tend to be pretty awesome. ;)

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  5. That is the sweetest story, Mel. Kate is such a cutie and what a meanie butt that boy was! Kate deserved that award!! And, oh my!, how much she grew into a little lady in 10 short months!

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  6. Oh my gosh, that story made me cry! I can't believe that kids are so cruel at such a young age! How wonderful that Kate got Ms. Friendly in her class, regardless of how that boy treated her that first week!

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  7. Sweetest.story.ever. And gives me chills for Kinder in just 2 short years. So glad she had a great year!

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  8. Still get chocked up when I hear the chocolate pudding story.

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  9. WOW!!! This is such a sweet story! So proud of Kate, bless her heart! I was just Brandon tonight...I don't care how smart Jake is, I jut want him to be kind! So glad to know others feel the same way. Keep up the good work! Xoxo.

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  10. Please ignore all the typos! Commenting using my phone and it wouldn't let me correct anything!! Ugh!

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  11. WOW!!! This is such a sweet story! So proud of Kate, bless her heart! I was just Brandon tonight...I don't care how smart Jake is, I jut want him to be kind! So glad to know others feel the same way. Keep up the good work! Xoxo.

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  12. I agree with you 100%. Teaching our kiddos to be kind and nice to others above all else is a life lesson more valuable than the rest! This post brought tears to my eyes b/c it reminded me of a similar situation my Kathrine had in Kindergarten 5 years ago. (It was teddy bear day & a boy told her her's was ugly!) Kids can be mean in little ways and our sweet girls are not used to being treated in such a way. Ahhh...life lessons!

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  13. This post brought tears to my eyes. I so miss my girls at this age~my oldest is 14 now and I have unfortunately had this feeling multiple times from kinder to now. Makes me so sad but I think it is part of growing up. My girls were so sweet and perfect when they were that age and would have never said anything like that to anyone and still wouldnt but over time their little hearts are exposed to many hurts by other cruel individuals. Breaks a moms heart. I know after the last incident when my oldest was in seventh grade I didnt sleep properly for months because it made me so sick that my innocent perfect child was exposed to such garbage. I wish we could put our kids in bubbles but unfortunately that is not for the best either. Have a great summer!!

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  14. My oldest just finished Kindergarten this year too! What a trying year it was! Yay for Kate's accomplishments...and being rewarded for her kindness. So sweet!

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  15. What a sweet post. That pudding cup story put tears in my eyes, poor bitty girl. You're right though, it was a great lesson learned and she apparently learned it well...Ms. Friendly! Love that!

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  16. What a sweet post...and I'm so proud of your sweet Kate for being such a nice & kind little girl, even when others aren't!

    Congrats Momma on making it through!

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  17. I started crying from "a boy put bricks on my heart" and was sobbing by the end of your post. Here's why: I can't handle any child's heart being broken, doesn't matter if it's my own or a stranger's. So my heart absolutely flew out of my chest for Kate. But I was also touched by how well Kate was able to express (in a perfectly descriptive way) her hurt feelings to you and that you were able to sweetly, encouragingly and supportively build her back up...taking bricks away with your loving words and Christ's influence. You are a good mom, Mel. Sure, we can all see what a great mom you are through pictures and posts on your blog, but anyone can do that...what really shows is how you love THROUGH your children and that God is the center. As a sister mom in Christ I thank you for that and I commend you (and Kevin) on a job well done. Keep up the good work...you have my admiration.
    Blessings always,
    Dana

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  18. What a sweet post. (Made me cry for sure, but still so sweet!)
    My Lucy is starting Pre-K4 in August, and I'm SO nervous-- mainly that someone will crush her sweet spirit! I know it's inevitable but I'm pretty sure it will level me the first time it happens.

    Thank you for sharing about sweet Kate and I LOVE the before and after photos. How much she has grown!!!

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  19. This was so beautifully written. You have one sweet Daughter. For her to say that someone "put bricks on her heart" was just so gentle. I can tell that you are a great Mother- it shows through your girl! I agree with you that grades can only take you so far. Showing God's grace and love to others is something I pray to pass on to my children, as well. It sounds like you are doing a spectacular job!
    P.S. That Middle School you teach at...well that was MY Middle School! Ha! You had posted a quad picture recently and I recognized that quad immediately. I remember that there was a school dance every year that took place outside in the quad rather than in the gym. That was about 13 years ago, but I am sure they still do that!

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  20. Made me tear up....love the way you mother your children!

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  21. Ah, sweet Kate. I love this post. Life is so hard. Cheers to living it together though. :) Can't wait to see you and catch up on Thursday!!!

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  22. This made me cry! Bricks on her heart is so sad!

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