Just an apple

Swimming this morning was super. L tried lots of new things and was laughing all the while.

Still trying to clear out lots of things in the house. Today I did a drawer under my bed and all the kids hair bits. With 4 females in one house, we have a lot of stuff.

J was out with the car (with the buggy in the boot!) when the heavens opened and it was time for the school run. What a long journey that turned out to be.

It's their last day at school today and M came out of class with her worried face on. We had some small talk and then she burst into inconsolable tears. There's a girl in we class who was leaving today. They're fairly close although because she does breakfast and afterschool club we've never got to know her parents for playing together outside school. I asked why M was crying and she just kept saying that her poor friend was having to start her whole life over again from nothing. New mum & dad, new house, new school and she will never see anyone one from her old life again. Being sure M must have made a mistake I went over to see their teacher. While we were there this little girl was leaving, being walked away by another lady with this girl looking over her shoulder back at her teacher & m with her bottom lip trembling.
Her teacher explained that the girl had been in foster care for the last 2 years and she'd finally found adoptive parents. Sadly we're not allowed to pass any contact information on but I can understand they need to do what's best for the child and family.

I'm quite shocked that a little 5 year old girl could have so much to deal with and not let anyone know. And there was me worrying about how M will cope next year in a different class to all her friends when she's actually very lucky in comparison.

M is obviously upset about not seeing her anymore but it's the concept of her "starting her whole life again" that is on her mind. She can't talk about any of it without crying and is sat very thoughtfully on the sofa by herself since she came in from school.

I've tried to explain that although her friend might be scared now, this is actually the best thing she could ever wish for. A mummy and daddy who will love and take care of her forever.

Seeing this little girls face and M's reaction to the whole thing has made me realise that a lot of our emotions and life experiences aren't age discriminate. Some of what that girls felt will be things I'll never feel in my lifetime. We often presume that kids aren't capable of feeling such enormous emotions on the same scale as adults; grief, head over heels in love, guilt and complete and utter fear. I just think most people are 'lucky' that they get to be that much older before they experience them.