Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Laine Emory

Oh my heart is breaking tonight friends. I had a gut feeling. It started before today but today sealed the deal. This morning I asked Laine if her friends were excited that she got bunnies. She told me she wasn't sure because when she told everyone they didn't really say anything. Guys, this girl is ecstatic about these bunnies. I would imagine she told the entire class about them. Then I decided to watch her at recess today when I had a little break. She went from group to group never really staying for long. Never really finding a game to play. In fact at one point I watched her walk up to a group of kids and talk to them and they all eventually ran off. That's when I knew things weren't going well for her. SO we talked with her tonight after supper about school and friends. And Laine feels left out. Laine feels like people don't like her. Laine even said she doesn't really like going to school because of the friend thing as she called it.

If you don't know Laine she is quite possibly the happiest child ever. She is never disrespectful, never mean. Rarely in a bad mood. She has a personality of her own and if teachers at her school were to describe her they would say she is "just Laine" because there is no one else like her. I never knew that until she became school age and I became her PE teacher. I don't want this year to break her spirit. I don't want school to become a place she doesn't want to be. Please God, let this be a beginning of school thing and PLEASE let her find some good friends in her class. My heart! It hurts!

8 comments:

courtney said...

I don't know if I've commented on your blog before or not, but if I haven't, I'm delurking now!

This makes me terribly sad. We went through the same thing with our Landry. Landry is the sweetest, kindest, most caring child I know. But, she was and is into different stuff than other girls her age. She's not very "girly girl" and it took her a while to find a group of friends that she fit in with. This was last year when she started 1st grade and we were at a new school in a new town. Ugh. However, a year later it is completely better. She has lots of friends and is happy with school.

But, I empathize with you b/c watching YOUR child be left out is the HARDEST thing for a momma!

Is she in Kindergarten? My suggestion is to maybe find out who in her class she is interested in being friends with and maybe invite her over for a play-date or something after school.

I don't know--it's so hard!

kristin fulghum said...

hey heather, i don't know if i commented on your blog before or not, but this is kristin levrets (meredith's friend from abilene).

so sad to hear about laine. she is so precious. i love the idea that courtney left about inviting someone over. i'll say a little prayer for a perfect friend for laine.

Unknown said...

That makes me sad too! I can actually picture that in my mind perfectly and I hate that for her. Since she is such a free spirit and such a happy kid, she( luckily) hasn't learned yet that sometimes to fit in, you don't act like your true self!! I hope she doesn't ever learn this! I pray that she always get to be herself and I know, for a fact, that if she can do that she will have more "real" friends than she knows what to do with. Just like Kristin said, I will pray that Laine finds a perfect friend that lets her be herself and loves her no matter what!! It will all work out!

Meredith (not Ryan)

miket said...

I think that Laine can develop some behaviors that promote friendship. One great behavior is greeting kids by name. A few days of "Hi Amy," "Hi Erica," etc. No need to elaborate, just call people by name. I think that this is a habit that will produce benefits over time.

Unknown said...

Encourage her to continue to be friendly and smile and , as Paco suggested, call everyone by name (great suggestion by the way!). Above all encourage her to be happy! I'll be praying for that special friend to appear also!

Unknown said...

I'm NOT Ryan....this is Mom! The comment above was from me. I didn't notice when I published my comment that I was RYAN.....

Tricia said...

Saying extra prayers for Laine!!!

linda said...

Oh my word, that makes me want to beat up some kids. Kids are so mean and it seems girls are especially mean. They all have a turn being left out but they don't seem to recognize how to help someone so they are not left out. I hate to tell you but this continues for a long time. I remember girls in junior high - oh my - you could be loved one day, hated the next, then loved again. Laine is in my prayers. So are those other little sh*&s.