Doing what's best

We had a situation come up this week that made us stop and think.

"A" brought home a note from school about a field trip to the pumpkin patch...I took it out, signed it, attached the required money, wrote it on the calendar and slipped it back into her folder ( I have learned very quickly that nothing can wait for later or this momma will totally forget about it).  Later that evening as I was cooking dinner I got an overwhelming feeling that I was doing the wrong thing by signing that note.  The concerns that came to mind were 1. that "A" (and both boys) has little to no "stranger danger" feelings, she would talk and walk off with anyone at this point (and the only adults looking after the kids would be the teachers) and 2. a pumpkin patch trip (at least this time) should be a family bonding experience instead of a school activity.  After talking over my feelings with Daddy we decided that "A" would stay home with me that day in lieu of joining her classmates on the field trip and that we would continue to work on stranger danger with her and we would go to the pumpkin patch as a family.  I wrote a note to the teacher explaining the situation and was very pleasantly surprised when the teacher came out to our car after school to tell me that she totally understood...it's so helpful when you have great people working with you!  The teacher also let me know that "A" has been doing well in class.  She is still learning when it is ok to speak in class, she said that "A" will now raise her hand and just start talking instead of waiting to be called on :) but at least it's progress!  She also mentioned that "A" is VERY independent and resists having help with almost anything which is something we see at home too and are trying to work on as she was treated beyond her years previously.

"A" was NOT happy that she was staying home instead of going on the field trip but in the end we did what we felt was the best for her.  I'm sure there will be MANY more times that she won't like a decision that we make in her best interest in the coming years! ;)