Social Butterfly

Nikki's personality is NOTHING like mine! At her age, I was shy and introverted. I still hate change. In social situations, I never approach someone I don't know and introduce myself. I'll speak to anyone willing to talk to me, but I would never initiate it.

My daughter, on the other hand, is a social butterfly. In the week she's been at her new school, she has introduced herself to a family that also walks to and from school so she has someone to walk with. She has met about seven new friends (all of whose names start with the /k/ sound?). She has been invited to a back-to-school luau this Friday. She has friends calling on the phone. She is very, very happy.

I am happy for her (REALLY!), but it's requiring some paradigm shifts on my part (have I mentioned that I hate change?). I'm going from having her across the street from me all day at a school where I not only know all the kids, but also all the parents and teachers, and have known them for at least seven years (some of them for ten!) to a school I've never even set foot on except for at evening Girl Scout leader meetings. I don't know the teachers, I don't know the kids, and I've never even met the girl hosting the party, much less her family. I had to make an awkward phone call introducing myself to her mom last night:

"Hello, I'm Nikki's mom. She's very excited to attend your daughter's party on Friday, but I'm having a nervous breakdown because I'm entrusting my child to your care and I have never even met you. Please forgive me, I'm sort of an emotional basket case."

Okay, maybe it didn't go QUITE like that. But I think New Friend's Mom could tell that I was a little uncomfortable with the whole thing. I did give her my cell, my home phone, and Scott's cell just in case.

Today, Nikki informed me that this same friend wanted her to go home with her after school.

I'm just not handling this transition well. Her anxiety may be improving, but mine is most certainly NOT!!