Wednesday, February 6, 2013

The Shield of Love

There are times when we all face a day that before we even step out of the door we are wishing we could just stay in bed. The day is usually filled with an event or events that tighten the back of our necks and make us clench our teeth. This morning my youngest faced that kind of day. Actually this whole week is like that for her.

My baby girl is part of two different groups at school that are running this year's charity week and she feels like she is a spinning top trying to fulfill her obligations, go to her play practice for the spring high school musical and finish her homework. On top of this stress she has two teachers that are running one of the groups she works with that have spent the biggest part of this year belittling and degrading the kids they are working with. Rather than encouraging these kids and building them up these teachers have decided that yelling, telling them how disappointing they are and also basically harshly attacking the kids that have stepped up to work for the good of the school.

Momma bear would like nothing more than to step in and give these two teachers a piece of her mind, however I know that by inserting myself into this already difficult situation I will create a human vortex of misery for my daughter. While stepping up and sharing with these two people that working with fear rather than motivation, may seem like a good choice…in the end it will only backfire and probably make this situation worse.

With that in mind I listened as my daughter shared with me this morning her anxiety about another day with these two screaming memes. She shared that while she tried to remain focused on doing good, it was hard when the people that you would normally go to for support beat you down. We have all had people in our lives that have misunderstood what motivation really is, people who have used force or unkind words and in the end have hurt and broken us and we have limped away wondering about ourselves and feeling depleted. This morning my daughter thought carefully as she spoke about what the remainder of the week might bring with these fear mongers and as she spoke I realized that she was learning a life lesson early on. Here is what she said "I hope that I learn what I am suppose to from this situation and that I do not have to face it again." As she prepared to walk out the door I wrapped her in my arms and said "I am wrapping you in a Love Shield where you will be safe and protected today. I love you!"

With that my daughter went out into the world to learn and grow from a situation that I wish I could take away for her but cannot. Tonight we will review the day and talk her off the ledge if she is feeling like she is on one and hopefully loosen her neck muscles and unclench her teeth. It is hard letting our children go when we know that others do not love and respect them the way they deserve, but once I wrapped her in my Love Shield I knew she could face this down. She believed in herself and she knows above anyone else, I believe in her too.

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