I have a little bit of a heavy heart today. I was talking with my neighbor last night. We ended up giving our dog to her and her daughter last Friday. My neighbor (I'll call her Sharon, because I don't want to give up info about folks who don't know I'm blogging about them) said that her daughter (I'll call her Savannah), is really loving having our dog. She said that Savannah really needed this right now because she's been having a hard time. I asked if everything was okay and she told me that the kids at Savannah's school are really hard on her. They call her fat and ugly. I feel like crying just typing this. This beautiful girl is far from fat and far from ugly. She's sweet and cute and gentle and kind. She's so smart and talking to her is like talking to another adult. Even if she were what they say she is, it wouldn't be any less hurtful. But because of these kids, Savannah quit eating. In fact, she passed out at school on Friday from dehydration.
This just makes me so sad and so mad. I know that kids have said mean things to other kids for centuries and I'm sure that at one point or another we've all be on both sides of this. But I'm so scared for Savannah. She's still in elementary school and is already being bruised by hurtful, hateful words. It certainly isn't going to get any better for a few more years.
Hearing things like this make me glad that I have boys who are less likely to starve themselves because kids heavier than my kids call them fat. But it could still happen. And more than likely, they will get picked on. I want to protect them from this and build them up in such a way that no one would ever be able to tear them down with a few hurtful words. And I want to make darn sure that they are never the ones tearing some other child to pieces by telling them that they are anything less than what God made them to be. I pray that our boys not only stand up for the kids who get picked on, but befriend them. I just wish all parents felt the same way.
Life's hard enough...we have to find ways to keep it from being so hard when our kids our so young.
Monday, May 14, 2007
It's our responsibility to make this better
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3 comments:
Poor baby. That's such a hard thing. And it's something that no adult is going to be able to make her feel better about, because those kids are the only ones whose opinions will matter to her. It doesn't do any good at this point to tell her that we all went through it and it will get better because she won't believe anybody. I'm so glad she's got Jubilee to make her feel valued.
and that's another reason I am a big fan of homeschooling...not that they won't encounter that sort of behavior in the neighborhood but the chances are less.
Poor savannah. That makes my heart sad. I hope the dog helps her feel more loved and valued.
that is so sad :( children are so vicious. its definitely part of our desire to homeschool - not to protect them from everything bad but that type of situation is not one they will face in the real world. Where else are you with 25 of your peers who will attack you like that? so sad :(
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