Mean Kids...

Yesterday I shared my awesome T on his 100th day of school. Last night we shaved the rest of his head. Last night he had trouble sleeping, again. This morning I was shoving his snow pants in his backpack and Dub asked him what was wrong and told him he looked worried. Turns out T is worried, he's worried that kids are going to call him baldy again and make fun of his shaved head. I guess some kids were not very nice to him and called him baldy. As a mother my heart broke into tiny pieces. As a person I was mad, why are people rude? Who teaches their kids that making fun of another person's appearance is okay? It makes me mad mad mad. It also made last night make a little more sense. Dub had asked if he should shave his head too. We said no and he responded, yeah, I like my hair right now. He also said he still would do it for his brother. I just thought he was being supportive but now I think he knew that his brother was worried. And him asking his brother about it this morning was his way of letting me know just how worried T really was.
As a parent, teaching my kids to be respectful and kind is my number one. It is everything that is important to me, respect everyone. I try so hard to instill kindness, empathy and love in their little hearts. I also let them know that respecting someone doesn't mean you have to like them. You can't like everyone but you must respect everyone. Walking away is the best option if you feel like you are going to say something hurtful. It's not worth it, words hurt just as bad as sticks and stones. I also want them to stick up for themselves, however. It's tricky, this parenting thing.
I told T what to say if someone makes fun of his bald head. I told him to say "it's just hair and it's going to grow back." and walk away. He looks so cute with his bald head. His eyes pop and I am reminded why I love my boys with shaved heads.
Those lashes...they slay me.