Protecting my young

A is a sweet girl, you know that, I've told you often enough. She is kind and sensitive, she thinks about others feelings and she is maternal and caring. I'm sure she is not like this all the time, I grant you, but this is the A I almost always see. So when other children are being mean to her at school it switches on my very primal instinct to protect her. She in turn protects me, by not letting me know what goes on. She would rather keep things to herself  than see me turn into a wild animal who would like to maim the attacker. Fair play, it's not nice seeing your mum upset.

We've had an ongoing situation with her friendships, mainly A being walked all over and made to feel bad when she can't dance like the others or do a maths problem straight away. I find out from other mothers that A is having a hard time. It makes me feel so sick with anger that I have to restrain myself. But I can't fight my little girl's battles, she has to learn to stick up for herself, to be strong and walk away, to form new friendships, to not tell the teacher over the smallest issue and to know when girly meanness is downright bullying. That's a tough call for a 6 year old. It's a tough call for a parent as well.

I would like to take her under my wing and protect her from this bitchy and horrible place. I would like to shield her from the meanies and the show-offs and the queen bee's. I would like her to be able to share her woes and for us to talk about a sensible solution - but then that would be me telling her what to do. I don't want to do that. I want her to work it out for herself, to learn from mistakes and to realise that others may not be as kind hearted as herself.

I want her to always know that I am here for her to take shelter, to love and protect her and that I will try  to send her out as a confident young girl who will be able to cope with the next battle life throws at her.