If you can, think back to your younger years, maybe when you were grade school age, or even younger if you can. What were you like? Did you have fears and worries and doubts or anxiety??
Kids can be cruel. Let’s face it, adults can be cruel too. The world isn’t by any means a perfect place, it’s far from it. But as a parent, you want to try to instill good morals and selflessness and sensitivity. You want your child to be kind to others, to not make fun of another kid because of their clothes, toys, or choices even. Often times we hear about kids getting bullied in school or kids committing suicide because they had no friends, nobody who understood them or cared enough to try to get to know them. It’s sad!
I have an almost 3 year old daughter and she loves princesses, but she also loves getting dirty, and sweaty and running around covered in filth and food. She almost always has stains on her clothes because she likes to get into things, she likes to ‘help’ her daddy fix things (which usually ends up with her covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises). And you know what?! I’m fine with that. I’m okay with the way she is. She’s happy, outgoing, lovable, kind-hearted, sweet, selfless, hysterical, and most of all…she’s my daughter.
…she likes to ‘help’ her daddy fix things (which usually ends up with her covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises). And you know what?! I’m fine with that. I’m okay with the way she is.
Normally when we take her places, within 5 minutes she is covered in sweat, her face is beat red, and her clothes are barely hanging onto her body. She’s amazing and adventurous! I love the life in her eyes and the gentleness of her soul. To me, she’s perfect. But there are still those people that make comments.
I have had people refer to her as a ‘hobo’ because of how she’s dressed. They’ve said she looks like she belongs ‘in a trailer park’ because she was outside, in just a diaper, and someone told her she was a ‘hot mess’ because she was sweaty and wearing raggedy, dirty play clothes from Wal-Mart that were covered in food of some sort! In what world do people think it’s alright to speak to a not even 3 year old like that, let alone a little girl?! Self esteem can be broken so easily. It really angers me and even breaks my heart to know that one day I’m going to have to answer some pretty tough questions from her and I pray to God that I can be strong enough to be honest with her and at the same time sensitive to the subject at hand. I pray that we will raise her right and she will be strong enough on her own to stand on her own two feet and know that people sometimes say hurtful things that aren’t true.
They’ve said she looks like she belongs ‘in a trailer park’ because she was outside, in just a diaper, and someone told her she was a ‘hot mess’ because she was sweaty and wearing raggedy, dirty play clothes from Wal-Mart…
I, of course, do not know what the future holds, but I pray for the future of ALL of our children. That they be kind and wise in their words and actions and that their parents teach them the difference between right and wrong. And parents, even though a child may not fit into your perfect mold that you have set, please also be kind with your words and actions and consider that child’s feelings before saying such hurtful things.
Just let kids be kids!! It’s okay!!
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