Bullying

I WILL NOT TOLERATE BULLYING. Bullying done TO my kids or BY my kids. It's totally unacceptable in ANY form even if the intended recipient is unaware. My tender hearted one has always liked everyone to a fault - even if they are being mean to him he thinks they are still his friend and takes up for them. That gets under my skin so much and makes me more mad than it would if he understood that person was being mean and not a real friend. And by mad I mean MAD. Crazy MAD, not angry. I've explained and explained that my boys are not to play with people that mistreat them, even if they are nice the next minute. But they are also not to treat others that way. I was sorely dissapointed when recently one of them came to me, in a proud way, to tell me about something they were a part of. I won't go into great detail but involved purposely making another little boy that annoyed him and his friends to no end feel excluded. I was even more dissapointed, well shocked, that it was my son's idea. We had a long talk that ended with him in tears and deciding to apologize to the boy and tell his friends that they shouldn't continue this quiet bullying. I pray he remembers this lesson.... that no matter how much someone annoys you or how much you dislike someone, you need to
A. Love them anyway (which in little boy terms had to include no hugs and kisses, just being kind and treating them the way you want to be treated).
B. Let them know in a kind way that what they're doing is bothering you then walk away.
C. Check yourself. What is it about YOU that allows them to bother you so much?
D. Don't do things to impress your friends. I really feel like that was part of this.

Growing up is so hard! I want my sons to be leaders, to be kind, to be gentlemen, and to let God's light shine through them. The list is longer but I'll leave it at that for now.