My Son's Courage

My sweet darling boy told me this morning through his tears that the kids at school had been making fun of him. They teased and tormented him for the shoes he had worn. It broke my heart. I then told him with all the love in my heart, that kids can be very cruel and they were mean to me in school as well, and that it was very hard to overcome. I told him that if I could go back and tell myself one thing it would be that it doesn't matter one bit what those kids thought, did, or said to me. I am of worth, and that the only thing that matters is what I think of myself. That this time will pass and to hold my head up high no matter what the obstacle. I told him lovingly that he had two options of how he could handle this. He could wear those shoes despite what the kids say and that if they make fun of him again that he should tell them that he doesn't care what they think, that he likes them, and that their opinion doesn't matter to him. Or he could wear some different shoes, but that either option he holds his head up high and if those kids tease him that he doesn't listen to what they say, that it doesn't change how he feels about himself. I told him that I supported whatever decision he made, and that I understood if he didn't want to wear those shoes. I told him that if I were him I would wear those shoes to spite the mean kids and not care what they thought. I left the decision to him. He looked up at me with his gorgeous blue eyes and a smile on his face. He picked up the shoes that the kids made fun of him for, and said that he was going to wear them, and that he was gonna hold his head high not caring what they thought. I told him that he didn't have to do this, and he told me, "No Mom, I am gonna do this no matter what happens". I grabbed him and gave him a great big hug. I told him that I was so proud of him. I told him that when the kids torment him that it is hard to not care what they think, but that he can persevere, that he should be friends with the other kids that get made fun of. That he should let this kind of situation make him a more compassionate and better person. He hugged me back and said, "I will". He smiled and walked out the door. I told him he was a great kid and that I loved him. He waved goodbye. It was so hard to send him out my door knowing that those kids would continue to pick on him, knowing that this was going to be a hard challenge for him. I just wanted to protect him from the hurt, but I knew that I can't interfere because these life lesson's made me a better person and that I needed to let him make the decision of who he was going to be with the hope that it would do the same for him. It is so hard to stand back when your child is in pain, it is so difficult to not want to shield them from all the pain out there. I would be doing him an injustice and he would not learn from these lessons if I protected him from them. It is so very difficult being a Mother loving your children the way you do and knowing that they will be hurt. I only hope that I can set the proper example for him and help him grow into a wonderful person. I love my kids with every fiber of my being and I would do anything for them. I hurt when they hurt. I feel their pain. I understand what they are going through. I will do my best to do right by them. I am so grateful to be their Mother and they bring me more joy than anything in this world or heaven. I hope that he can continue to have strength when they continue to hurt him. I am so proud of his courage. He is an amazing kid and I am so blessed to have him in my life.