Community

Last night, #2 went to a birthday party for two little 13-year-old girls.  We had the hardest time finding out how he got invited.  He didn't recognize either of their names and after looking them up in his yearbook, didn't really recognize either of their faces.  So he decided to go as this was a good opportunity to meet people, get to know others and "hang out".  Before the day rolled around, I realized that I knew (but not well) one of the moms.  So, I asked her if she invited my son because she knew me, but she said she really didn't know how he got on the list.  She said she thought it must be the other little girl that invited him as she is very social and probably "invited the whole 7th grade".  

So, he went last night.  This was his first girl/boy party since the days of say, kindergarten.  When I got there, I went to talk to the mom.  That is when it all came together!!  After we talked the first time about the invitation, This mom asked her daughter about my son.  Turns out the daughter knew him and HAD invited him.  She met him on the bus and thought he was a nice kid.  But, there is more....  She had seen him being teased at the beginning of the year and was concerned, so the mom contacted the principal and the daughter (despite her shy nature) was called in and made the principal aware of what was going on.  I knew that all this had happened, but the girl that went to bat for my son was a nameless, faceless "good samaritan".  Now, it makes #2 and I feel very warm that a shy little girl that we don't even know stood up for him when he was being teased.  And it feels even better because after a hard year, the perfect ending is to feel that we are a part of a community - part of a place, of schools, but more than that, part of people's lives!!!