Becoming a Parent Changes You.. like you haven't heard that before

Becoming a parent changes you. I know, I know, I know-- I was told this countless times by family, friends, social networking sites, magizines, doctors, and some strange lady at McDonalds taht wanted to rub my belly for good luck once... very odd. BUT SERIOUSLY, I realized one major change yesterday at school.

Yesterday we had a teacher in-service day. The lucky, lucky children got to stay home and play and we had to go listen to some self-important "expert" drone on and on about how much she knew about teaching. (I don't ALWAYS think that, but some of the people they bring in are wack) So, I got up, fed the Worm, and drug myself, unexcitedly, to school. We spent the first hour coloring our nametags and eating over-cooked egg casserole and sipping chunky orange juice. WTH!?! seriously-- coloring our nametags... WITH MARKERS!

OK... back on topic. The in-service was on bullying. Bullying. I instantly flashed back to middle school where Jessica Kennedy wanted to pound my face in because Jay Gribben talked to me on the phone and we were maybe going to "go out" eeek eek. The in-service began and the principal introduced this lady with orange hair who apparently had a lot to say about WHY she was so qualified to tell us about our students.

Time Passes...

So she puts this video clip up on the big screen and I watch. A man is talking about studying bully trends and kids without friends. Talking about kids who have no friends at school and would rather have negative attention than no attention at all. Then we watch top secret video footage from a playground where this little boy walks around the playground with a little toy in his hand. All Alone. Other little boys come up and yank his toy out of his grasp and throw it across the yard. He runs to grab his toy before the others get there. Meanwhile, on the other side of the playground, a boy with a ponytail is surrounded by his buddies. The ponytail leader points to one of the boys and the mob jumps hime. SERIOUSLY they are in like 3rd grade. The little boy who was kicked to the ground gets up and WALKS back over to the mob of boys for MORE attention where they proceed to grab him by the head and kick him repeatedly in the back. THEN CUT. A group of catty little girls on the playground (could my Abbi be in that group??) and one little girl following close behind (or is that my Abbi?!?!) The cats turn and the queen cat grabs the trailing little girl by the back of the neck (is that Abbi? which one?!?!) The group leads her around the playground tearing her clothes, pulling her hair, screaming about hurting her, making her kiss the tree and eat dirt. So many just watch...

WHO THE HELL IS TAPING THIS??? and why aren't they doing something to stop it? Where are the teachers? Why don't the other kids stick up for these little ones??? UGH!!!!!!!!



For the first time I did not see those kids as students, but instead, as my precious little baby.
Becoming a parent changes you.

The video clip went on to interview bullies and those who were bullied, and finally the parents of bullied kids.... one set of parents who lost their little girl to suicide after being bullied and belittled everyday at school. I can't even wrap my mind around it.


Becoming a parent changes you.


...until next time-- What can you do to brighten someone's day? Maybe they were that kid. Maybe it happened 20 years ago. Maybe it was 20 minutes ago. Be a friend. A kind word goes a long way.