Musing No. 1 - Why don't we trust our children?

I was just thinking...

I took Aria to a preschool today to check it out. When I talked to the teacher about their program, I mentioned that Aria likes to have her own space, to do things at her own pace, not to join in the rat race... Some people would say she's shy. The teacher responded by saying "all the more reason why she needs a place like this." And I find myself asking... Why? Why do we seem to think that it's a good idea to force them into social situations they are uncomfortable with? Granted, I've heard many stories told about the reluctant child who doesn't want to go to a class and ends up loving it. And I definitely think that socialization is important. But I still wonder... Why don't we seem to trust our children? Are we afraid they will become outcasts? Obviously, we all want our kids to have friends and be well-liked. We all want our kids to be socially skilled. But I have to ask myself, will kids fail to do this on their own? And if I push Aria into social situations she isn't ready for, am I really doing her a service? What message am I sending to her if I don't honor her intuition or her feelings? And more importantly, how will she learn to navigate social situations well if she isn't listened to or trusted at home? How will she learn to trust herself and her own responses?

Just a few thoughts...

Hosanna