"Who's going to be my friend?"

Tomorrow is the first day of Kindergarten and I am getting Little One ready for bed.  Sometimes I can't quite differentiate between my over-protectiveness and what is truly necessary.  As we are going over everything to expect in class, I mention all the new friends she is going to make. Little One was diagnosed as having PDD-NOS at about 2 years old.  Though her symptoms were fairly mild compared to other children I'd seen, read, or heard of, her quirks have and do stand out.  Life has not come with ease for LO but we are fortunate that no hurdle has stopped her yet - save for the smell of pickles or egg salad.  Over 3 years of therapies (Speech, Play, OT, PT, & ABA instruction) has brought her where she is today - which is almost "normal".  I think her speech, and comprehension of it, is now the only thing that can hinder LO at times.  Especially when trying to make or be a friend.

"Who's going to be my friend?" Little One asks.
"Everyone," I say.  "If you are nice to someone they will want to be your friend."  I say this halfheartedly knowing that this isn't always true but that it should be.  Because if hearts could speak for themselves, it wouldn't matter how LO spoke or how "different" she can be.  Little One would have her own social network.