I’m counting on you, world…

Dear World:

See this little face?

Take care of that little face and the rest of the boy that goes with it, please.

This young man is just under a year and half in age, and he is the most precious gift we (his parents) have ever been given. We truly don’t know what we’ve done in life to ever deserve to be the recipients of this special little person, but we know we are truly blessed and thank God for him on a frequent basis.

We will do anything, within our power, to make certain this boy always receives the care he needs and knows he is loved. We have already done a lot to help him feel secure and comfortable in his surroundings – from the countless nights of sitting up with him asleep on our chests, and me co-sleeping with him when he got older (something I had vowed I would NEVER do), to the hand-holding, hugging and rocking we’ve done whenever he is uncertain about a new situation.

We want this boy to grow to be a well-adjusted, happy, healthy, young man, with ambition, intelligence, honesty, faith, and love. We’ve tried to mirror these traits to him by spending countless hours playing with him, reading to him (one of his favorite things), teaching him words and other skills, setting boundaries and sticking to them, taking him to church and involving him in prayer, cheering him on, and just loving him.

World, I need your cooperation as we move to the next step in his life. You see, this little boy’s daddy and I both work outside the home, something we know we have to do to provide for this young man, and we have to rely on others to take good care of our most precious gift when we can’t be around.

So far, we’ve been very fortunate and blessed, as we’ve been able to keep his care with family and close friends, when we have been unable to be with him. Two of these people, Ms. R and the Fabulous Miss C, have loved this little boy, teaching him many new things, while the Hubby and I have been away at work, as well.

But, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Ms. R is preparing for her second child (and we’re delighted for her!) and Miss C plans to head off to school (we’re thrilled for her, too!). Since both of these upcoming changes became apparent at about the same time, we had to seek new arrangements to provide care for our little boy.

And we’ve found it in the form of a Christian-based daycare center, which he will attend two days per week.

Now, I can either look at daycare with dread, or I can be excited for my little guy. Since we are planning that he will always be an only child, I can see this as a great opportunity for him to interact with other kids and socialize, something that he doesn’t get a lot of at home, or I can fear the lack of individualized attention from adults – since he is used to more one-on-one time – will leave him feeling insecure.

I’m choosing to try my hardest (I’m still allowed to cry, aren’t I?) to be an optimist and say that this will be a good thing.

But world? This is where I need your help.

He is so young and so small. Please go easy on him. Please help him carry the love from us with him when we aren’t there. Please help his new caregivers come to love and understand him, and help the new kids he will meet to accept him. Please make certain he knows that his mommy and daddy will always come back for him, and please help him to grow in this new environment, feeling secure in those surrounding. Please don’t allow my child to be neglected, abused, terrified or otherwise hurt. Please allow his parents to feel a sense of peace, knowing that he is well-cared for, when he is out of their sight.

Life can be cruel enough, world, and I know we all hear the horror stories on the news. Please don’t let my child come close to any of these stories, world.

I’m praying about my concerns, world, but I’m asking you, as well, to please do your best to protect my child – and all of the other children out there. They are so fragile, and easily damaged. Please do your best to love and encourage the ones you encounter, making certain they are safe and secure.

Daycare begins tomorrow. I will play the part of the proud and excited mom as Little Dude heads off to “school,” for the first time. I will take pictures. And I will trust, world, that you, or most of you, will do your best to make this world a safer, happier and nicer one, so that my darling boy can continue to be an innocent child, thriving in this arrangement.

Thank you.