Dramarama

Few situations hold as much drama as a kindergarten classroom. There are alliances and secrets and feuds and, sometimes, it culminates with a good cry in the coat room. Tonight, Zeca was telling me all about the shenanigans of her classroom and crying about how hard it is to be a kid. She wants to work with two particular girls but those girls work together exclusively. Another girl wants to work with Zeca but she gets annoyed by her. The boys are excluding one boy in particular and some kids have no one to play with at recess. Given that Zeca had gone to her room in tears after a particularly nasty and rude exchange with Luisa just moments before, I had to ask, "Honey, are you nice to the girls that you want to work with?" She insists that she is but I can't help but wonder. So, I decided to impart some wisdom because I'm a parent and parents love to give advice: Me: You have to ignore the secrets and the mean things that people say and you must treat everyone with kindness.

Zeca: I try to walk away when people say mean things but they follow me.

Me: Well, ask them nicely to stop following you and ask a teacher for help if they won't stop.

Zeca: *sneer* that basically said "You have no idea what you are talking about lady."

Me: As for the girls you want to work with, you have to keep reaching out. You can't give up. Just be kind and keep trying.

Zeca (suddenly sobbing loudly): MOM! I don't want to live the life of Maria Montessori!

Me: *blank stare*

Zeca (still sobbing): Maria Montessori had a very hard life and she wanted to go to medical school with the men but no one wanted her to and she had to keep trying and trying and trying and I DON'T WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE LIKE THAT!

I had no words but I guess we can rule out medical school.