Some free thoughts

Yaya was out of school for two days this week due to health reasons. So the first morning she returned,

"Wow, look who's back! Cynthia! We missed you! Welcome back!" shouted her teacher--Ms. Kelly, as soon as we showed up at the door.

Normally I would take it as a polite comment from a preschool teacher and forget about it. But for Ms Kelly, since she is usually a little bit "cold", at least I always think so, I thought "well, today she is in good mood" and smiled.

Ms Kelly came right up towards us and began to talk to Yaya. "Are you feeling better?" "We missed you so much". Yaya, on the other hand, like usual, smiled without a single word. In the meantime, some kids in the room also ran up and began to talk to Yaya all together. Seeing Yaya ocuppied by her friends, I decided to take the advantage of Ms. Kelly's warmness by asking some questions I have meant to talk to her about.

---Is she always like this? Quiet?
---What do you mean? No, she is not quiet.
---I mean, I know she is fine and talktive with her friends. But I find that most of the time, she did not answer any adult's questions in my presence.
---Of course she is fine. She responds very well to us teachers too, when we ask her something.
---OK, that is good to know. Guess it is just "when mommy is here, i am shy" phase, huh?
---Well, you know, she is really a special kid. She knows a lot about what should be done, and "right or wrong". So when she is around, some kids just follow her direction, which makes our (the teachers') work a little easier. That is why it felt so different when she was absent......

Well, the truth is, this is not the first time a daycare teacher describes Yaya this way. And my reaction is still, so complicated. Being her mom, I guess I prefer Yaya having a happy life as a kid than being an adult-pleaser.