Hiding between mama’s legs

I was shy. It was no surprise that I was trying to mush my 5-year-old body and bright, strawberry-blonde hair between my mama’s short legs so that i could disappear. But I wasn’t that small anymore. The fit didn’t work, although I sure did try. 

Hi! I’m Dede, she exclaimed in her excited, mouse-like 5 1/2-year-old voice. She was older than me. More confident. She probably would have been more confident than me even if she was younger. It was just her way. 

It was the start of a beautiful friendship. 

My son is the same age now. He’ll be starting kindergarten in the Fall. He’s not as shy as I was, although sometimes he’ll let me know in advance that he might be shy in an upcoming situation. He warns me. When we get there, he isn’t, in fact, shy. 

Having one child means he gets all our focus, our ideas, our attention. It also means he spends more time interacting with adults and being in situations that are not kid-focused. 

I hope this teaches him to be a strong communicator, to feel comfortable in most situations and to know that sometimes it’s ok to feel shy. But stepping out of your comfort zone and accepting an outstretched hand can be the best choice to make.