A Letter

Written by: Alicia Tysick

(the names of the children in this narration have been omitted, at the request of the children)

Dear Child,

You’ve been on my mind lately. Especially since Tuesday. We were at the teeter totter park, and I noticed you sitting by yourself on the climbing bars. You looked sad, and I wanted to know why and if I could help. I walked over to you and asked you what was the matter. “I won’t make any friends” you told me.

This surprised me. It does not match what I know about you or what I have seen with you and the other children here at Camas. We all have worries, and I understand now that this is one of yours, but I am not sure why.

Here’s what I see:
I see two children arriving with their dad, chatting and getting ready to join us outside. I notice one child is wearing mismatched shoes like I have seen you wear for a while now. I started talking to their father about the shoes and he tells me “He said he wanted to be like his friend.” This did not surprise me at all, because pretty much every day I see how the other children in Camas look up to you. They like you so much that they want to be like you.

I see how when you’re away spending the day with your grandma today, and everyone notices. “Where’s our friend?” they ask. After I explain you’re away, I hear “Aw” from one person, clearly disappointed. You are so missed when you are away.

I see how when we are sitting around the table, talking about what superpower everyone would want if they had one, and there are all sorts of answers. "The power to make magic soup," "to grow oranges," "to make buildings and trees," and "to make rainbow trails," being among them. But everything changed when it got to your turn. You said you would want to control everything, and everyone at Camas then wanted to change their answer to be the same as yours. Your thought out power was something everyone wanted, not only because it would be an amazing power, but because it was you who suggested it.

I see you talking to someone, asking him to ride on the teeter totter with you. He is hesitant about riding, unsure if it might be scary. Other people might have given up, but you knew just what to do. You suggested you would ride “Super slow” together, and even pinky promised him that you would go slow with him. You got on going slowly, smiling at each other. You repeated “Slowly, slowly” which comforted him and made him smile. This is just one example of times where you are able to understand others so well so you can play well together.

Maybe you will still worry. It can be hard not to sometimes, I know. But I hope this helps, because I swear it is the truth. Am I worried you won’t make friends? Not in the least. You are a leader here, and you are so well loved. I cannot imagine that changing in school or anywhere else because you have so many strengths about you that everyone admires.
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Love,
Alicia