Posted in authenticity, blogging, family, parenting | 4 comments
Kids Break My Heart
I’ve made it pretty clear before, I worry a lot about my little girl and how easily the world can beat down the confidence that she displays every day. She is truly beautiful and completely innocent. Let me explain…
If you don’t know, my daughter is extremely outgoing and knows no boundaries when it comes to ages. For example, she loves on her big cousin like they are the same age – she doesn’t know any different. So when the neighborhood girls were out selling lemonade, my baby girl wanted to be out there with her. Jade is 4, these girls and 7, 8 and 9 – in other words, Jade is still rolling with training wheels while these girls cruise around on their cool mountain bikes.
Does Jadyn care? Nope…
So today, while the girls were out again, Jade ran outside to play with them. All was well until the girls started playing hide-and-seek and Jadyn was it. So what did the older girls do? They decided they were bored with the game and went inside while my baby girl was outside still looking for them (not sure if they were trying to ditch her or not, but we’re guessing so). My wife found her behind our neighbor’s house still searching for her new “friends” that were “hiding”….
It broke my heart to hear what had happened – and I get the same kind of feeling even as I type this. Jadyn has pretty thick skin, and I hope it stays that way as she didn’t realize that the older girls had ditched her – she just thought they were really good at the game – but one of these days she’ll put the pieces together and she’ll break down…and I’ll be right here to help her understand that she is a part of something bigger…
I can’t control the world, but I can control the type of environment my kids grow up in. This is a perfect example of that environment. Brent and Tam do a great job with their kids and despite the worldly troubles that kids find themselves in, their daughter fought through it and hung on to something bigger than her. That is the kind of hope I find myself hanging on to while my baby girl goes out playing with the girls in our neighborhood….
Aww….that’s so sad!!
cj – i am in tears. even though i know jadyn was oblivious to what the girls did, that is still heartbreaking.
but, i have no doubt you all will foster and nurture in her confidence and security.
one of the things ive always told our kids is, when you are being bullied…it is rarely, if ever, about you. there is something much deeper going on in that person and you get to be the target. but its not personal.
i dunno…its such a difficult thing to deal with. im just grateful jadyn has a safe place to land.
and thank you for your kind words, cj!
.-= tam´s last blog ..pictionary – YOU guess… =-.
You have an amazing heart CJ. And it is that heart, that will protect your daughter and at the same time set her free to be the lady you know she can be.
What an amazing honor to have a part in all of this with you.
My heart breaks for my granddaughter…it brought to memory the many times her mom and her uncle and aunt were mistreated by other children. I always told them that we don’t know what they are experiencing in their own lives and home that might be causing them to act so unkind. It’s a good time to teach tolerance, compassion and forgiveness. I’m am so glad that you care so deeply about this…you will be her knight in shining armour. :)