Parents, teach your children kindness.

Jeremy’s first day in his new school was… typical. Some kids are curious, some kids are mean. Jeremy experienced both. Being the New Kid is tough enough, but being the New Kid with Glasses and a Hearing Aid is worse. This morning when I started walking toward him with his hearing aid, Jeremy began his usual protest – but this time, with amplified passion. Please, please don’t make me wear it. Everyone keeps asking me about it. Please! I can hear just fine. Please, Mom, please!

It’s like I’m painting a big, red target on his face every morning and saying, “I’m sorry but I have to.”

It is times like these that I ponder a series of things – Homeschool? Private school? Pitch the hearing aid and hope for the best? March into the classroom and lecture first graders about humanity and tolerance? Send a letter home to parents?

Moms and Dads, teach your children kindness. Teach them how to ask appropriate and respectful questions. Teach them that staring and repeatedly asking about a person’s body, quirks and uniqueness is rude. Furthermore, take time to explain that one child is no better than the next, no matter his or her differences. This isn’t about feelings. It’s about character.

Today I’m continuing to unpack and set things aside for donation. In the move I realized that even though we downsized to accommodate the real estate market, I didn’t downsize enough for what’s reasonable. We just have too much. It’s time to pitch.

 

3 Comments

  1. We’ve experience similar with Rachel and her alopecia. Of course now that she’s older, she refuses to wear the house without a hat. 😛 She’s almost 12–tough age and eventhough she was diagonised years ago, it’s alot different when you’re 12. At 5 she never cared.

    1. One of the things I worry about the most is middle school age. It’s such a tough season of their little lives and it’s only compounded by the things that set them apart. The only way to get through puberty is to fly under the radar, to go unnoticed…

  2. Pingback: The Hearing Aid |

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