Dear Lincoln,

For the past two weeks you are learning about something that neither I nor your dad can teach you. Playground Politics. The teacher told me that you’re starting to play with the other kids and talking to them more. I have a feeling they don’t understand half of what you’re saying. My only hope is that they are nice to you.

The other day we had a picnic at the park. You had so much fun and you also tried to play with the bigger kids at the park. It was so cute, you would go up to them and babble and they would just ignore you. You weren’t sad, you were just your own happy go lucky self. I hope you don’t lose that about you. There were two sisters that actually yelled at you and told you to STOP! Go away!. I really wanted to go up to them and tell them to be nice. But then again, playground politics is something you have to learn and figure out by yourself – I can’t be there to mediate all your fights. You seem to do well. The sisters were carrying sand into a car. So, in order to be on their good side, you helped them. That’s my boy. You have a good EQ.

This morning you didn’t want to go to school. You said you were afraid of this little girl at your school. She actually started around the same time you did. When I asked the teacher she laughed. She said it’s probably because she’s kind of bossy towards you and she likes to come up to you from behind and growl. You might not like it right now, but it’s kind of cute. The teacher did say that you are playing with the other kids and running around with them. I love that you are finally playing with them and joining them and having fun. I know you’re having fun, too. For the past two weeks you have been in a much better mood and there have been almost zero time outs. You’ve also learned how to play by yourself and you’re talking a lot more (and it’s not as incoherent!). I attribute all of this from playing on the playground and talking to all your friends at school.

You’ve been asking to go to the park a lot these days. The weather hasn’t been very compromising. But I promise, once it cools down, we will go to the park and have picnics there and play with the dogs and have your practice your playground politics.

Rock on and play hard, my son.