And so it begins...

This afternoon as I was driving to a friend's house, my sweet 5 year old in the backseat said to me, "Mom, guess what." So I curiously responded, "What?" thinking out of her mouth would come a long-winded explanation of why the bird out her window was pecking at the tree and how she learned the name of that bird and it was called a "woodpicker." I was wrong....so, so wrong. Out of her mouth came, "There's a boy...and he's in my class.....and this other girl.....who's not in my class....well.......she kissed him....the boy in my class." Ummm.....I'm sorry......WHAT!? Did I mention she is 5 years old!? This is exactly what I have been afraid of. This is why I was dreading her starting Kindergarten. This is not something I feel at all prepared to talk about with her. So I took a deep breath and asked for more details. 

"Well, where did this happen??" 

"At school."

"And where at school did this happen?"

"On the playground, at recess." Of course it did! Nothing good EVER happens "on the playground, at recess!"

"Well, why did she kiss him?"

"Ok...it's like this....it's a game....it's called Tag & Kiss."

"Really!? Well, how do you play this game?"

"Well....all the girls.....they chase the boys....and they try to tag them......then they lick and kiss them." I'm sorry....did she just say Lick!?

Trying to stay calm "They lick them???"

"Well, just this one girl licks." mental note....never let my kid play with THAT girl

"So do you play this game, MacKenzie???"

"Yeah, I play it....but I don't kiss the boys!"

"So everyone else does, but you don't?"

"Right...I just tag them......I DON'T kiss them."

"Well good for you honey. I'm proud of you. That's not something you need to be doing."

"Yeah, I know....it spreads germs and stuff." good to know...she's concerned about germs.

And so it begins....this brand new chapter of my motherhood. This chapter that I feel completely ill equipped to handle. A little piece of me felt so sad when she was telling me all of this, because I know this is the beginning of the end. It's the beginning of the end of her complete, 100% innocence and naivety. -insert sound of a mother's crushing heart now- I knew it was only a matter of time before this happened and I knew that time was getting shorter and shorter as I sent her off to Kindergarten to be under the world's influence. I know I can't shelter her from everything, nor do I think it's a good idea. But it's just a little shock to the system when this whole process of lost innocence begins. So, I'll just keep on and pray for God's protection over my little girl. I will try to make sure she knows she can always talk to me about anything. And my heart will break a little more each time she comes to me with things that I know are stripping her of her sweet innocence. And I will remind myself that it is best that she not be sheltered from everything around her, but rather, learn to deal with those things in the right way. Lord help me.....here we go.