"What's always popular isn't always right and what's always right isn't always popular." McKenna told me she heard this from her CTE teacher today and that she hasn't been able to get it out of her mind. Tonight as we talked about this saying and about friends she had a heavy heart. Since starting jr high she has made some great new friends...especially two girls in the 8th grade, Kat and Hallee, they are amazing girls, so much like McKenna. Confident, strong girls who aren't swayed by everything and everyone under the sun! McKenna is struggling a little right now with some of her old friends from elementary school, they are all changing and sometimes not making the best choices, yet they seem to the part of the "popular" group...in a small way she still wants to be included or invited to their parties, yet deep down she really doesn't care to be...she sees through their fake ways and sees that no one is genuinely and truly a good friend to one another and it makes her wonder why they act this way. I love her naive and innocent way of seeing things, but my heart aches as I watch her...I feel for her.
McKenna is strong and courageous and oh, so good. When I met with her teachers as SEP this last week, four teachers I sat down with, after telling them I was McKenna Sill's mom, looked up at me and began to tell me how highly they thought of her. The first one asked how I did it...he could tell I was a little taken back and then he continued to ask how we had managed to raise a daughter that is kind and happy and respectful, that seeks out those that might need a friend, that is eager to learn and participate and that doesn't care what others think of her and is someone that others look up to...I was blown away. I shouldn't have been because McKenna's always been this way, especially at school. I really didn't think jr high teachers would notice, but after the fourth teacher and her school counselor complimented McKenna in the same ways I couldn't wait to get home and hug her. What a great kid!
