What Do We Do About Bullying?
As an adult, you start to take pride in what sets you apart. You want to stand out and be different, one of a kind. As a child, you want to blend in. You do everything you can to avoid being different. You want to be just like your friends.
Growing up, I had one thing that set me apart from most of my friends, my freckles. As you can see, I don’t just have a few. They’re everywhere. During the summer, they multiply like bunnies and take over. I would even try staying in the shade to avoid the inevitable.
Now, I love my freckles. They make me unique. I even prayed my little Indian babies would be born with beautiful freckles. I’m still praying for them to come every summer.
If only our children could bypass the shame and go straight to being proud of their differences.
I was talking to one of my husband’s cousins recently. She was talking to me about school and shared something with me. She told me she would never bring Indian food to school for lunch. I thought she was kidding, but the look on her face said there was a story behind this declaration.
She told me she brought a curry dish to school one day. Her mom is constantly making Indian food, so it would be like you bringing leftover spaghetti. As soon as she opened the tupperware, her friends noses went straight up. They instantly started making fun of the “gross Indian smell.” They ganged up on her asking how she could like something that gross.
My heart broke for her. She brought one of her favorite meals to school. She wanted to show it off and share it with her friends. Instead, she was mocked and ridiculed. Now, she has declared to never repeat the situation again.
How can kids be so mean? It makes me want to hide my children away forever in a little house in the middle of nowhere. I guess I can’t really do that. Instead, I’m going to do everything I can to teach my children to be proud of who they are.
If they can remember to celebrate their differences, they won’t be so caught up in covering them up from everyone. I want them to remember that God has made us all different.
Often times, society tries to tell us we’re all the same. Buy the same clothes, do your hair the same way, get it cut the same way, say the same things, but we can’t ever be exactly the same. We need to challenge our society and remind children their differences make up who they are.