She doesn’t want me to walk her down to her classroom anymore when I take her to school. I’m having a hard time dealing with it!

Just because she’s going to be five in a few days doesn’t mean she should be planning on moving out and getting a car. But that’s what she tells me!

She says when she gets grown up she is going to leave. And, just about every day she tells me when can she gets big enough she wants a car!

And the car is supposed to be white. She probably knows the make, model, interior color and wheel style she wants but just hasn’t informed me yet!

“Stop. Stay here!” she says, putting both arms out with hands up indicating that I should come no further.

“I can walk down to my class by myself,” she says as she leaves me standing at the entrance to the school with my jaw dropping and my eyes tearing up.

“But I want to walk you down to your class.”

“I like to walk you down to your class.”

“I have to give you kisses and hugs down at your classroom!” I implore as she quickly walks away.

“Please let me come with you!” I plead as I stand there alone watching her prance down the hallway with her pink backpack on and swinging her pink lunch bag with her name embroidered on it. I watch until she turns the corner and goes out of sight.

The school wants you to park and walk the Pre-K’ers to their classes instead of driving up and dropping them off at the door like you can with the Kindergartners. So I have always parked the car and walked the children into school and down to their classes.

It’s something I really like to do. I usually linger for a few minutes and talk with Kenzie and her teacher before going off to work. Sometimes she grabs me and begs me not to leave. I like it though I know that she is just being dramatic

But I enjoy it. I like to walk her down to her classroom. I like to walk Kaleb to his classroom.

And Kaleb doesn’t seem to mind me walking him to his classroom even though he’s a Kindergartner. But now, Kenzie doesn’t want me to walk with her down to her classroom. She’s almost five and wants to be grown up and is already planning her life independent from me.

She’s acting like her upcoming birthday is Independence Day!

Now, I know it’s my job as their parent to help the children grow and develop into independent, self-directed, self-actualized adults. I get that!

But I just want her to be four! Can she just be four for another year? I like four. She needs me…