Ok Mama bear, back down, it'll be ok.

It always amazes how strong of a mama bear syndrome I get with my kids. If someone upsets them over something that shouldn't have happened, you better believe my blood is boiling. If someone mistreats them, again boiling blood. It doesn't matter the age of the person upsetting them, if I feel its unjust then I get upset FOR them. Now mind you, this doesn't mean I'm always acting on it. I get the feeling and I deal with what NEEDS to be dealt with. Everything else I just realize is me being too sensitive and I have to get over it!

Last night we went to meet the kid's teachers. The boys were really excited to find out who they got and to get that first look at their new teacher! We went to Gabriel's room first because the first grade pod is closer than the second grade pod. We found out that he in fact got a different teacher than what Dallas had had. He got a Ms. Z. Dallas had Mrs. W. And oddly enough, my nephew Kyle got Mrs. W. So we still have the family connection with the same teachers. (Gabe and Dallas had the same kindergarten teacher!!) There were 6 possible teachers he could get, and there was only ONE we knew we didn't want. The one he ended up with was not her so we were ok.

We walked in and it was her and her assistant there greeting parents. Gabriel immediately started to pull his shy act when the assistant tried to introduce herself. He tries to hide behind me and he giggles like a silly fool. So we scratched that and went in search of his desk and the papers we needed to pick up. In the process of that the teacher came over to introduce herself. Again, Gabriel went diving for the shelter of me. I pulled him back around, very much against his will and told him that he needed to speak with his teacher. (now, just a note, Gabe's done this forever. He would come out of kindergarten and being with his teacher and she'd come talk to me while waiting for other parents. He was JUST with her, and he'd still hide. But wouldn't hide in school. Its weird.) Once I got him pulled out front and held there, she got down on his level and began to speak to him. This is when my mama bear moment began. She started to talk to him in a VERY stern voice. One that in my opinion was a bit TOO stern for just meeting someone, but I guess it got the point across. She told him " I don't play these games. You're in first grade now and we don't do this. I asked you a question and I EXPECT you to answer me." I think my jaw about hit the floor. I had the urge to tell her screw you, and run for the door. I had the urge to tell her how DARE she speak to my child that way? Who was SHE to treat him with what I would deem disrespect? She doesn't eve KNOW him. But what happened next is what made me realize I have to back down, and luckily I hadn't said anything yet. Gabriel looked at her, answered her, and even shook her hand. Maybe this teacher will be good for him. Maybe this teacher will be the one to pull him out of his shell some. Maybe this teacher will allow the rest of the world to see the Gabriel we see at home. Maybe.

Its definately going to take some back down thoughts in my head. She's a very. . . .forward person. And those aren't exactly the kind I deal best with. I tend to get defensive myself with those kind of people and it just doesn't set up for a good time. So I'm hoping that this was just the first impression gone wrong. That we'll in fact like her and her teaching style and have a good year. I'm keeping an open mind, and my fingers crossed. So we'll see.


Next we went to meet Dallas's teacher. And fresh off of the experience with Gabe's new teacher I was a bit apprehensive. He got Mrs. T-T. Someone I'd never even heard of before. And come to think of it, I don't know that I'd ever even SEEN her before. She greeted us and gave Dallas a scavenger hunt to work on while we spoke to her. I got a TOTALLY different feel from her. We were able to tell her a little bit about Dallas and his goings on this summer, and how he may be better off sitting up front for a while as his eye is still on the mend. We were able to give her the personal heads up about the ADD meds and how we're watching his heart. She was very kind, and very receptive. Dallas played shy, and when I said to him (when I thought the teacher was talking to someone else!) "why are you being shy? You're NEVER shy!" She turned around and said her son had done the same thing!!!We told her how much of a talker he is and how it just surprised us to see him this way. She said she was told by SEVERAL parents that their kids were talkers, and that that was ok, because she's a talker too! I left her room feeling really good about Dallas's school year, and what he has ahead of him. Hopefully this is a year of better things for him. First grade was really really rough on him. But now with the glasses and the meds I'm hoping he'll have a better chance!!!


I'm sure as they get older the mama bear syndrome will become less and less aggressive. At least I'm hoping so!! I know they're ok, and I know I need to just let things work themselves out. But these are MY babies. MY pride and joy. MY miracles. And darn it, I want to protect them with everything I have!!! I know they need to be prepared for the real world. . .but really, at 6? I don't know about that one yet!!!!